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武漢肺炎疫情持續延燒，到目前為止中國大陸已經有600多起確診病例、17人死亡。這也讓鄰近的台灣人心惶惶。而疾管署原定在下午2點，報告最新疫情，結果延後到5點半，疫情指揮中心宣布，防疫等級會從三級提升到二級，並由衛福部長陳時中擔任指揮官、提升防疫強度。

衛福部長陳時中宣布，「新型2019冠狀病毒的疫情指揮中心，從三級我們現在升到二級。」

原定下午2點舉行的記者會，卻延後到5點半舉行，衛福部長陳時中宣布，因應武漢肺炎疫情，將指揮中心的防疫等級，從三級，提升到二級。陳時中說明，「中港澳返台、訪台，然後是有武漢14天的旅遊史，加上有症狀，這樣的三個方向，做嚴密的邊境的監控。」
 陳時中表示，不是因為台灣的疫情擴大，而是由於中國武漢「封城」，還有中國其他城市和鄰近國家，都陸續出現疫情，所以做出這樣的因應措施，更指出居住在武漢的人，禁止入境台灣。

陳時中指出，「到過武漢而沒有症狀，那我們就會啟動，我們的一個鄰里健康關懷。有症狀的當然我們，根據原來的檢疫，會有做一個自主健康管理，或者簡易的醫師做一個，症狀上面的一個診斷判別，或者更嚴重的，符合我們的通報的標準，那我們會做我們的隔離檢疫。」

傳染病防治醫療網指揮官張上淳表示，「台灣還是只有一個境外移入的個案，並沒有台灣自己的，任何其他的本土個案，所以在防護上，基本上是並沒有因此，而特別要做更高等級的提升。」

而根據陸委會表示，武漢台商大約有兩千人，但有些早已陸續返台，還留在武漢的人數，目前並不清楚，但會一一追管、主動表示關懷、了解當地狀況，目前還沒有台商表示需要協助。至於在台東，也有一名55歲婦女，一月上旬前往中國南京旅遊，回國之後發燒，院方依照旅遊史和發病症狀，列為武漢肺炎的可疑病例、防堵疫情擴散。

title: 提高防疫強度 我國疫情中心調升至2級


title: 武漢肺炎延燒  新加坡出現確診首例

countries: 新加坡 中國

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（中央社台北23日電）新加坡衛生部今天表示，一名搭 乘中國南方航空班機從廣州來新加坡的中國籍男子，確 認感染武漢肺炎，衛生部已開始追蹤與他有過接觸的9 名旅伴與同班機約30名其他乘客。

新加坡亞洲新聞台（Channel NewsAsia）報導，衛 生部晚間指出，這名66歲、居住在中國武漢的男子20日 和家人搭乘中國南方航空CZ351班機從廣州飛抵新加坡 。他在班機上就出現喉嚨痛症狀，但未發燒。他抵達新 加坡隔天後出現發燒症狀並開始咳嗽。

這名男子的檢體是在今天晚間6時被確認「2019新 型冠狀病毒」（2019－nCoV）檢驗結果為陽性，目前人 在新加坡中央醫院（Singapore General Hospital）接 受治療，情況穩定。

新加坡衛生部表示，已啟動追蹤這名男子接觸過的 對象，包括他的9名旅伴以及同機上坐在他前面兩排及 後面兩排約30名乘客。（編輯：周永捷）1090123


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記者羅凌筠／專訪

張允曦（小8）16歲那年立志32歲一定要結婚，計畫趕不上變化，想不到32歲那年男人沒有，倒是買了1間房子，回過頭來看，反而是最好的安排，她說：「你是一個擁有房子的人，從世俗定義來說，是有能力的女生，對自己自信程度會增加，當有這個成就感，你看的男生眼光不是說變高，而是會有取捨，會知道有些東西是你要的。」

▲小8專訪。（圖／記者林敬旻攝）

爸媽一直在台北租房，大姊辛苦扛起家計，小8說：「我從小就知道要買房子、幫姊姊，買房是姊姊夢想，也是我的夢想，算命的說你們倆姊妹很會花錢，一定要買房子置產，更決定要買房的心。」看了3年房，台北房價高得離譜，小8忍痛跟大姊借了500萬，退而求其次買新店建案，她忘不了人生第1次簽約的感覺，「手超酸，怎麼有這麼多東西要簽？比簽名會還要酸，買個房子資料那麼厚，那一刻失心瘋，腎上腺素迸迸狂簽土地權狀什麼的，花了半小時在簽名。」住進的第1晚她打開浴室蓮蓬頭，淋浴都在笑。

▲小8專訪。（圖／記者林敬旻攝）

和姊姊分擔月付8萬的房貸，小8壓力太大，前期痛苦無比，向銀行寬限1年，但是有了房子像有了小孩，「在其他方面省很多錢，做很多事情會先為房貸著想，會煞車，不會像以前那麼猖狂。」爸媽因為彼此生活習慣不同，分住家裡最大和最小的房間，她能理解爸媽相處方式，但自己和另一半絕對不行，「我要我們一樣，有一種床墊是夫妻骨頭軟硬不一樣，同一張床它設計作兩種不同床墊，未來如果有先生，我要這樣做。」

▲小8專訪。（圖／記者林敬旻攝）

小8兩年前凍了10顆卵，她坦言：「我想要小孩沒有錯，我有很大的盼望，愛上什麼男生會成為一輩子的伴侶，生出多像我的小孩，對未來充滿好奇心，很興奮的期待。」至於擇偶條件，她說要求是基督徒、180公分以上、皮膚要好，最重要是幽默感：「要大風大浪都見過，我希望另外一半笑笑看待這些負面東西，但是卻可以有自己獨特的人生觀。」

title: 專訪／小8月扛8萬房貸咬牙買房「看男生眼光變了」　凍卵10顆等對的人


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記者翁子涵／專訪

從ETtoday《聲林之王》發跡的超人氣選手「小烏龜」鄭可強歌聲溫暖又療癒，他跟大多數參賽者一樣，從小就喜歡唱歌，卻不知道自己歌聲特別，直到國中跟朋友去唱KTV，同學都誇他唱歌好聽，「我才意外發現原來這樣子是好聽的。」大學也開始參加校內歌唱比賽，一次滑鐵盧、一次卻拿到冠軍，讓他萌生勇闖大型選秀節目的念頭，「想自己知道自己實力在哪，也因為生活圈沒有做音樂的朋友，想出來比賽認識很酷的人。」

▲鄭可強從《聲林之王》發跡。（圖／資料照，記者林敬旻攝）

真正參賽後，鄭可強反而沒有壓力、也不緊張，「因為沒有人認識我，能得到注意就是賺到，沒得到也無所謂，反正我本來就是路人，反而是把自己放開來，一無所有沒有什麼好失去的。」原本自認個性尖銳、總是直言不諱的他，透過長時間和選手、導師的相處，也變得更加圓融、溫和，「到最後其實跟戰友之間，都沒有得失心，反而覺得大家是一夥的，結交了許多熱愛音樂的朋友。」

▲鄭可強認爲若不及早追夢，或許以後就做不動了。（圖／資料照，記者林敬旻攝）

談起這段逐夢的旅程，鄭可強眼神充滿自信地說：「如果這年紀不做你想要的事，以後就沒機會做了，年紀再大一點的我就會跟現實靠攏，不會想追夢。」他無所畏懼的追夢故事，激勵了身邊的朋友，透露有個好友原本畢業後當志願役，在電視上看到他的表現，就決定提前退役，跑去當演員；另一個朋友則是因為他而刪掉沈迷的電動，開始認真工作，並且都異口同聲對鄭可強說：「看你這樣真的很勵志，我一定也要加油才可以。」讓他備感欣慰。

▲鄭可強想寫出具有批判性的歌曲。（圖／資料照，記者周宸亘攝）

鄭可強在《聲林》拿到第五名的佳績後，除了累積大批的鐵粉外，也有了機會推出自創曲《喉嚨啞了》，他笑說：「如果沒有參加比賽的話，現在25歲的我可能在當房仲吧。」他形容比賽過程就像是進演藝圈前的一個面試， 一直交出自己的作品，讓大家認識你，「剩下的就要自己慢慢學習成長」，因此現在的他，不斷努力地嘗試創作，也期許自己能和謝和弦、陶喆看齊，寫出社會寫實風格的歌曲，「想要交出自己的代表作，讓大家看到最貼近真實的我。」

►女神的秘密都在這裡！

title: 鄭可強《聲林》勇敢追夢...2好友見狀秒辭工作！勵志翻身史曝光


title: 丁國琳過年前突發意外！　女神臉「破相縫5針」原因網心疼

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記者陳芊秀／綜合報導

凍齡美魔女丁國琳受傷破相！她近日曬出照片，白皙臉蛋、眼周多處塗上白色特效，遮掩傷口，並透露自己縫了5針，震驚粉絲。

▲丁國琳擁有凍齡顏值，被成為「美魔女」。（圖／翻攝自臉書／丁國琳）

丁國琳透露過年打掃時受傷，臉上因此縫了5針，還自嘲「應該去買樂秀了。」她身穿V領淺色針織衫，長髮過肩，額頭、眼睛周圍都有傷口，表情哀傷，臉書湧入數百則留言關心「早日康復」、「下次找鐘點家務」、「希望姐能快快好起來。」

▲丁國琳過年前發生意外，臉破相縫5針。（圖／翻攝自臉書／丁國琳）

然而丁國琳家中最近事件不斷，去年10月底發生住處遭竊賊闖空門，一開門就見家中衣櫃凌亂，名貴珠寶、首飾、名錶全不翼而飛，初估損失至少達上百萬元。警方隨後逮補曹姓慣竊，但是嫌犯否認犯行，案件因此深入偵辦，沒想到現在她又因為過年打掃破相，粉絲也不斷留言打氣。


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▲老虎卡布雷拉2012年達成打擊三冠王。（圖／達志影像／美聯社）

記者路皓惟／綜合報導

過去2010-2019年間只有一人締造聯盟歷史上難以達成的成就，那就是老虎「米糕」卡布雷拉(Miguel Cabrera)的打擊三冠王成就，這是大聯盟相隔45年再出一名稱霸打擊率、全壘打和打點的三冠王。

隨著2012年例行賽最後一日賽程結束，紐約洋基葛蘭德森（Curtis Granderson）轟出雙響砲，全壘打數累積42轟，確定和遊騎兵漢米爾頓（Josh Hamilton）在全壘打榜上並列第2，卡布雷拉確保全壘打王座，也確定以打擊率.330、44支全壘打和139分打點三榮膺打擊三冠王。

卡布雷拉2008年曾拿下全壘打王，2010年則是奪打點王，2011年摘打擊王，這回終於一併抱走打擊率、全壘打和打點寶座，並成為繼1967年傳奇球元雅澤姆斯基(Carl Yastrzemski)後，史上第16位獲得打擊三冠王的球員。

大聯盟百年歷史上，一共出現過16位打擊三冠王，但只有2位球員生涯拿過2次三冠王頭銜，分別是霍恩斯比(Roger Hornsby)及威廉斯(Ted Williams)前者在1922和1925年達成，後者在1942和1947年達成。

2013年球季卡布雷拉挑戰連莊三冠王，儘管一度位居打擊率王和打點王，但全壘打數始終無法超越金鶯隊重砲戴維斯(Chris Davis)，加上打點數在季末被超車，最後僅以.348打擊率拿下打擊王，無緣寫下大聯盟史上第一人達成三冠王連霸的史詩紀錄。

卡布雷拉在2003年以20歲之姿登上大聯盟，當時被球迷譽為「強打少年」。至今大聯盟生涯17年，一共累積477支全壘打，排名現役第2，以及繳出1694分打點，生涯曾經於2012年和2013年連莊美聯MVP，生涯11度入選明星賽，拿下過7座銀棒獎。

▲卡布雷拉名列老虎隊史最強打者之一。（圖／達志影像／美聯社）

►快來搶精選年節禮盒，限量台灣野生一口烏魚子大特價！

►過年嗑瓜子就選這一味！4種口味任你挑～

title: 過去10年最猛打者成就！　「虎王」卡布雷拉達成三冠王


countries: 印度 馬來西亞 台灣

title: 戴資穎接受BWF專訪再談奧運退休計畫：最少會打到2020年結束

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▲戴資穎 。（圖／取自Badminton Photo）

記者謝孟儒／綜合報導

前世界球后戴資穎將目前人在印度，參與超級聯賽度過農曆新年，而她日前接受世界羽聯（BWF）時，再被問到是否要在東京奧運後就退休的問題，戴資穎笑答，「花了很多時間在打球，想要有一些時間做別的事。」

目前世界第2的戴資穎，最大目標就是希望能在東京奧運奪牌，對於排名和球后寶座都是平常心應對，今年將是第三度叩關奧運，日前接受BWF專訪時談到，「奧運對我的意義其實還好，參加是一定要，最終希望自己可以奪牌。」

▼ 印度羽球超級聯賽，戴資穎加入班加羅爾暴龍隊 。（圖／翻攝戴資穎臉書粉專）

「前面兩次（奧運），第一次我還滿年輕，比較多衝勁，沒想太多。」戴資穎說，「第二次自己比較成熟，但參加前覺得有傷，沒調整很好，但我覺得發揮已經算滿正常，但辛度（PUSARLA V. Sindhu）（當時16強賽對手）發揮得更好。」

對於目前還無緣問鼎世錦賽獎牌，戴資穎認為，「我本身是比較多失誤的球員，我和別人不一樣，別人比較穩定，我比較多一些特別的球路，那其實也是我的致命傷，手感很好就會很輕鬆獲勝，但手感不好就沒辦法那麼得心應手。」

▼戴資穎在年初馬來西亞大師賽擊敗辛度 。（圖／取自Badminton Photo）

戴資穎說，「這部分要再加強到每個比賽都發揮得比較正常，不要那麼多起伏和失誤，這階段大家水準這麼高，差一點點就差很多。」而世錦賽讓她最印象深刻的對手，是南韓女將金佳恩，「第一次跟她打，她球路滿特別，那之前自己狀況並沒特別好，到那邊我也是盡力拉起來，她繞頭攻擊很好，很高又很有力，兩局下來也打了40至50分鐘。」最後戴資穎以兩個24：22收下勝利。

而最後被問到想要在東京奧運退休的問題，戴資穎也說，「還是會把2020年的比賽都打完，最少會打到2020年結束，只是奧運過後可以稍微放鬆一點，不那麼緊繃，每天打球花了很多時間，趁還年輕想要有一些時間做別的事，想去台灣環島、騎腳踏車，我想做的感覺都比較累一點，不過先2020年打完再說。」

▼金佳恩 。（圖／記者謝孟儒攝）

►過年嗑瓜子就選這一味！4種口味任你挑～


title: 武漢肺炎》消極防疫？中媒爆料：官方不面對、患者未隔離

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有中國媒體揭露，武漢至少一個月前就被肺炎疫情侵襲，卻因當局消極處理，導致情況迅速惡化。圖為武漢的醫護人員穿上全套防護衣全面戒備。（路透）

2020-01-23 23:37:35

〔即時新聞／綜合報導〕中國爆發武漢肺炎，擴散快速，境內病例更是不斷攀升，有中國媒體揭露，肺炎疫情至少在一個月前就侵襲武漢，官方卻消極處理，導致事件愈發嚴重，醫院甚至拒絕病患，甚至有病患為了住進醫院，選擇隱瞞病情。

《三聯生活週刊》在微博上釋出標題為「武漢新型肺炎：為何直到今天才引起更大注意？」的文章，揭露當局在肺炎爆發後的防疫態度，文章釋出後隨即引發廣大迴響，已有超過1000萬人次觀看。

被診斷出是武漢肺炎確診病例 卻沒有隔離治療

華南海鮮批發市場最早爆發疫情，報導中，記者訪問一對住在附近的夫妻，他們雙雙染病，卻都沒隔離。丈夫黃昌（化名）透露，他住的社區有好幾人都疑似感染，他日前才剛出院；住院過程中，妻子李桂芳（化名）也出現類似症狀，而被通知感染後，兩人卻都沒被隔離治療。

另一肺炎病患小吳（化名）指出，他被醫院不停轉診，最後到武漢金銀潭醫院，該醫院也沒將病患隔離治療，小吳和另外兩個患者住在一起，「症狀輕的在一起，症狀嚴重的則在一個房間」。

為了成功就診 被迫隱瞞病情

黃昌無奈透露，華南海鮮市場原先相當熱鬧，尤其又是春節前，各店家都忙著買賣，他也囤了幾千斤貨物，如今爆發肺炎，只剩一片死寂。

「市場內店家不斷彼此傳染武漢肺炎。」黃昌提到，正逢好發流感的冬天，一開始大家都以為是得了流感，或是比較嚴重的感冒而已。

黃昌指出，在海鮮市場關閉後，由於他是海鮮市場的商人，也已登記身分，回診時他還故意隱瞞病情，也沒告訴醫生自己就在華南海鮮市場工作，就怕醫院得知後會選擇拒收。

有醫生透露「若當局提早面對現實 狀況會好很多」

去年12月30日中國網路上就流傳關於肺炎疫情的文章，當時就把禍首直指華南海鮮城，31日有多名醫務人員進入市場消毒，1月1日黃昌接到了市場關閉的消息。但這天武漢市公安局居然發布通報，聲稱日前因為一些關於「武漢病毒性肺炎」的不實訊息在網路流傳，進行調查後，依法「處理」了8人，理由是「散布不實信息」。

1月6號、1月11日，黃昌夫婦分別到醫院看病，醫生護士戴著口罩，無其他防護；兩天後，發現醫護人員都穿上了防護服、戴上了護目鏡，醫院發燒門診和急診科的人也越來越多，等候看診的時間也越來越長。

有醫生透露，醫院床位在10幾天前就可能已經出現短缺，上門看病的不明原因肺炎病人也不停增多，即使後來新型冠狀病毒等病因逐步查明，外面的消息仍聲稱病毒的檢測試劑盒供應充足；有些醫生透過社群媒體表達擔憂，就被約談；有醫生強調，若十幾天前當局就面對現實，嚴密防疫，情況會好很多，但目前醫療資源已不堪負荷，導致多名醫護人員也遭感染。


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澳洲海域發現4種「走路鯊」，牠們可以用魚鰭行走。（圖擷取自UQ Faculty of Medicine的YouTube影片）

2020-01-23 23:43:00

〔即時新聞／綜合報導〕經過長達12年的研究，科學家在澳洲北部海域發現4種「走路鯊」，使該屬的物種數增加至9種。這些「走路鯊」以小型甲殼類與軟體動物為食，平均體長不到1公尺，對人類沒有威脅。

綜合外媒報導，這4種新發現的鯊魚屬於天竺鯊科（Hemiscyllium）的其中一屬，研究團隊透過活捉樣本的DNA，找到牠們與原有的5種天竺鯊之間的關係，該科物種最早可以追溯至6600萬到1億年前的白堊紀晚期。

這4種新發現的「走路鯊」很可能是原種來到新區域後又進化發展出的新種，預計新種鯊魚們從200萬年前開始出現在澳洲北部與紐幾內亞之間的熱帶珊瑚礁海域，牠們最大的特色是能在低氧的環境中用魚鰭行走，這特別的本事，使牠們在捕食小型甲殼類與軟體動物時更得心應手。這4種「走路鯊」平均體長不到1公尺，對人類不具威脅性。

title: 「走路鯊」！澳洲發現4新種 能用鰭走路

countries: 澳洲 幾內亞


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▲福袋示意圖（圖／翻攝自Retrip）

記者蔡惠如／綜合報導

農曆春節想買福袋試手氣，在此總整理初一福袋開賣資訊，今年雖少了京華城，但全台仍有7間百貨祭出汽車大獎，最大獎是新光三越信義新天地要價185萬元的BMW，抽汽車也是是大年初一中獎率與價值最高的當日活動，新的一年不妨去拚拚搶運氣！

▲百貨2020年新春福袋吸引許多人氣。（圖／高雄夢時代提供）

全台頭獎汽車百貨

新光三越信義新天地 - BMW X1 sDrive 18i，市價185萬元（需購買APP預購福袋）

微風松高 - Mercedes-Benz A-Class A 180 Sedan，市價160萬元

信義遠百 - KIA Picanto經典版汽車，市價49.9萬元

板橋大遠百 - NISSAN MARCH 1.5汽車，市價53.5萬元

台中大遠百 - HYUNDAI ELANTRA 1.6L汽車，市價59.9萬元（需購買預購福袋）

花蓮遠百- NISSAN MARCH 1.5汽車，市價53.5萬元

漢神巨蛋- TOYOTA ALL NEW VIOS 1.5L雅緻版汽車，市價54.9萬元

▲台北信義新天地初一活動大獎BMW X1 sDrive 18i，價值185萬元全台最高價。（圖／新光三越提供）

北部

新光三越信義新天地

領貨時間：1／25 11：00

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數量：1000份

最大獎：BMW X1 sDrive 18i，市價185萬元

微風松高

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▲Mercedes-Benz A-Class A 180 Sedan。（圖／微風提供）

SOGO忠孝館、復興館

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信義遠百A13

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數量：1200個

最大獎：KIA Picanto經典版汽車，市價49.9萬元

▲KIA Picanto經典版汽車。（圖／遠百提供）

遠百寶慶

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▲JOHNSON 好時光按摩椅A382。（圖／遠百提供）

板橋大遠百

開賣時間：1／25 上午8：00，1樓米蘭廣場發放號碼牌，憑號碼牌依序結帳。

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最大獎：HYUNDAI ELANTRA 1.6L汽車，市價59.9萬元

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數量：2000個

最大獎：TOYOTA ALL NEW VIOS 1.5L雅緻版汽車，市價54.9萬元

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數量：500份

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數量：300份

最大獎：NISSAN MARCH 1.5汽車，市價53.5萬元

▲NISSAN MARCH 1.5汽車。（圖／遠百提供）

備註：以上資訊僅供參考，實際狀況以各百貨公布為準。

taiwan-subdivisions: 信義 板橋 嘉義 復興 桃園 花蓮 高雄 和平

countries: 台灣 日本

title: 2020年百貨春節福袋　全台7間汽車福袋全攻略


countries: 美國 台灣 香港 澳洲 加拿大 日本 英國

taiwan-subdivisions: 大城 南港

title: 全球樂迷引頸期盼 Avril Lavigne台北開唱

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【記者陳本瑛／綜合報導】台灣樂迷期待度最高，加拿大創作搖滾精靈艾薇兒Avril Lavigne2020年世界巡迴延伸至亞洲，以日本愛知為起點，一路巡迴亞洲八大城市，包括大阪、東京、曼谷、馬尼拉、台北、香港與吉隆坡。《Avril Lavigne 2020 Head Over Water World Tour live in Taipei》 5月22日（日）將於南港展覽館舉行。

2002年的夏天，一位17歲少女、金色長髮與充滿個性的煙燻妝，全身龐克風格的服飾與配件搭配板鞋，彈著吉他，SK8 Punk風格加上精靈般的嗓音，唱出17歲少女對愛情、生活與人際關係的想法，也唱進許多7年級生的青春當中！

首張專輯《Let Go 展翅高飛》獲得Billboard百大專輯亞軍，突破白金百萬暢銷，打破全美首張專輯銷售連續五週持續上升紀錄，首支主打單曲《Complicated 超複雜》成為歷史上第2位首張專輯中有3首作品入圍美國《告示牌》流行歌曲榜40強的歌手！2004年第二張專輯《Under My Skin 酷到骨子裡》更在美國《告示牌》英國、澳洲、加拿大等地區專輯榜奪冠，並接續獲得許多獎項。

專輯依序在2006、2009年釋出：《The Best Damn Thing 美麗壞東西》與《Goodbye Lullaby 再見搖籃曲》，這中間經歷了兩段婚姻，卻消失在樂壇上。睽違5年，直到2013年才以《Avril Lavigne 就是艾薇兒》再次復出，同時也於澳洲電台KIIS FM’s Kyle & Jackie O Show訪問時回覆了「艾薇兒已死」這段在網路上謠傳全球的陰謀論，艾薇兒當時回答：「Why would they even think that?」主持人Jackie則在澳洲當地另一段訪問上提到：「這輩子訪過許多名人，印象最深的就是當時的《SK8er Girl 》艾薇兒，進來後感覺心不在焉問題也不回答，感覺不耐煩！但她當時就是一個小孩，現在好很多了！」

大病痊癒、浴火重生的酷世代搖滾教主Avril Lavigne，帶著睽違5年的新作品回來了！頂著YouTube頻道加總37億點擊量、Spotify每個月持續1,130萬人聆聽、臉書5,000萬按讚量，立足粉絲量第18名的音樂家、4,000萬張專輯加上5,000萬張單曲銷售量，多達8度提名葛萊美獎以及5度提名全英音樂獎，入列VH1頻道「錄影帶時代以來50位最佳女性藝人」名單。

其滑板和龐克系穿著打扮引領風潮，擁有「Abbey Dawn」潮牌服飾、量身打造的香水、簽入Ford Models模特兒公司，擔綱賣座動畫片《森林保衛戰》幕後配音、演出電影，徹底發揮全方位長才與聰穎的商業頭腦。擁有忠於真我個性與鮮明特質，無論是吉他的火辣飆速，亦或鋼琴的溫柔彈奏，都讓Avril散發能量滿點的搖滾氣度！

2019年展開了《Head Above Water》世界巡迴，自9月14日起於北美及歐洲熱銷數十場，也持續加開亞洲場次至2020年中。艾薇兒特別對亞洲的粉絲喊話說：「我懷念在亞洲登上舞台和大家一起唱歌！這總是帶給我如此多的幸福，也是為什麼我會這麼期待能參加“Head Over Water” 2020年亞洲巡迴演出！」


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【記者陳本瑛／綜合報導】公視音樂節目《音樂萬萬歲4》在年初二（26日）特別邀請到齊豫、卓義峯、段旭明、張心傑，羅平、文慧如、陳星合、曾心梅、林俊逸來到節目，呈現一道橫跨古今中外的豐富音樂饗宴。齊豫上節目挑戰高難度神曲《You raise me up》，表示自己年輕時揮霍過度，現在比較懂得保養上天給她的禮物，而馬世芳口誤版的新年願望則讓來賓滿臉問號。

過年時，除了祝福的話之外，主持人馬世芳不免俗的請大家許下新年願望，卓義峯希望繼續創作更多好歌，羅平說之前去柬埔寨學做菜時也做菜給需要幫助的人吃，希望來年還可以有更多機會做這樣的事。

而身為主持人的馬世芳，則說自己每年都許同一個願望，那就是要運動，「今年終於付諸行動，在一月就買了游泳圈。」張心傑聽得嚇一跳虧他，「你買游泳圈幹嘛，不是已經自備了嗎？」馬世芳發現自己口誤，連忙說是游泳券，更表示一本50張，他已經用了一張，還有剩下的49張希望盡快用完。

《音樂萬萬歲4》這次也邀請了齊豫到節目上一起同樂，馬世芳誇齊豫唱歌越來越好，「那種好是沒有封頂的感覺」，齊豫說自己年輕時有點揮霍，不懂得怎麼保養自己，現在年紀漸長，更明白人與生俱來有些能力，若不保養它也會生鏽的，現在的她非常注重保養她的好歌喉，期許自己能夠繼續發光。而齊豫這次演唱鼓舞人心的歌曲《You raise me up》，訪問時直說：「超難唱，到現在還是不能駕馭這個歌曲。」更表示這個歌曲不是一蹴而成的，每次都要慢慢的進步才行。

文慧如許多作品在網路都有極高的人氣，翻唱鄧紫棋的光年之外在Youtube上更高達1,700萬點閱率，近期都在新加坡進行新作品的創作與配唱的她，為了節目特地從新加坡回台，選了兩首有「光」的歌曲，《光年之外》與《追光者》，期許新的一年大家都朝著光前進，更稱讚大樂隊讓整場表演很澎湃。馬世芳聽了她的現場演唱也表示：「在這可以先預習小巨蛋演唱會的規格。」讓文慧如又驚又喜，而年後文慧如將有更多新作品與大家見面。

林俊逸與曾心梅帶來一連串組曲，表演時更用華麗的轉身與唱腔，向劉文正與鳳飛飛兩位經典歌首致敬，不僅改編《瀟灑走一回》、《流水年華》、《閃亮的日子》，搭配地表最強大樂隊，讓過年特別節目不只有嬉戲，更多了好音樂陪伴。

title: 齊豫有感年輕時太揮霍 現注重保養

countries: 新加坡 柬埔寨


dateline: 28 分鐘 ago

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【記者鍾尚軒/高雄報導】 為嚴防「武漢肺炎（2019新型冠狀病毒）」的入侵，高雄醫學大學附設中和紀念醫院繼昨天進行防疫演練外，今(23)日起進一步在急診處加裝紅外線體溫偵測儀，對於所有前來急診的病人進行體溫自動監測，避免發燒病人出現漏網之魚。

▲高醫急診加裝紅外線體溫偵測儀，對於前來急診的病人皆進行體溫自動監測。(圖/高醫)
高醫附設中和紀念醫院院長侯明鋒每天上下午各召開一次防疫會議，就各種防疫相關措施進行討論，並補實口罩、全身防護衣及一般隔離衣等醫療物資，並要求今天起全院員工配戴口罩、量體溫及再次完成在職教育，以提高防疫知識及能力。對於病人及家屬，醫院也勸導戴口罩，以保護自身安全。

▲高醫急診紅外線體溫偵測儀，可將病人的體溫同步顯示在螢幕上，以利醫護人員監測。(圖/高醫)
今天是小年夜，侯明鋒院長帶著高階主管，戴口罩向員工及就診民眾拜早年，人口一罩的特殊景象為歷年春節所未見，期盼大家健康平安過好年。

高醫春節期間一般門診調整為24日(除夕)至27日(年初三)休診，28日(初四)恢復正常；急診全年無休。

高醫感染管制中心主任林俊祐醫師提醒民眾，謹記「勤洗手、戴口罩、據實以告」十字口訣，春節期間人潮擁擠的地方盡量少去，如市場、醫院，並避免接觸野生動物，尤其是禽鳥更要避免接觸。如自國外入境14日內出現發燒或類流感症狀，則可撥打免付費防疫專線1922(或0800-001922)，並依指示戴上口罩儘速就醫，並主動告知醫護人員旅遊史以供醫師確切診斷、治療。

title: 嚴防「武漢肺炎」　高醫急診加裝紅外線體溫偵測儀

taiwan-subdivisions: 高雄 中和


content_text:
【記者何勁陞／屏東報導】 臺灣屏東地方檢察署檢察長葉淑文（兼任犯保屏東分會榮譽主任委員）為使馨生人提早感受新春氣息，率領分會主任委員龍應達及同仁於1月18日假綠色隧道休閒園區餐廳舉辦109年新春關懷活動「藍白脫․馨生活」音樂會。活動特地邀請高屏地區一群『警愛吹』薩克斯風的現職員警組成的[科藍]樂團（藍）以及屏東縣醫師公會10位醫生組成的薩克斯風樂團（白），為現場來賓演奏系列歌曲。樂團成員平日忙於公務，為了與分會合作，特地運用自己休假時間來練習，這前所未有的組合，代表了分會馨生人的用心陪伴，也期望透過音樂饗宴，讓來賓一起放下（脫）所有思緒，透由音符洗滌心中塵囂，撫平心（馨）情，點亮心（馨）燈！

▲特地邀請高屏地區一群『警愛吹』薩克斯風的現職員警組成的[科藍]樂團（藍）以及屏東縣醫師公會10位醫生組成的薩克斯風樂團（白），為現場來賓演奏系列歌曲。（圖/犯罪被害人保護協會）法務部保護司朱科長念慈感恩來賓共襄盛舉，表演團體的演奏、重傷馨生人李柏諺的歌唱，引領大家沐浴在溫暖陽光中！葉檢察長也感謝馨生人願意在承受生命苦難後，仍與分會一起走過荊棘，重拾希望。龍主委分享分會秉持真心關懷、真誠陪伴理念，讓馨生人走出內心傷痛，參與分會融入社會。
我們無法預料生命起伏，但我們可以盼望太陽升起時的耀眼，如同馨生人雖無法預期生命苦難，但因分會陪伴，可以擁有希望、迎接陽光。

dateline: 32 分鐘 ago

taiwan-subdivisions: 屏東 屏東縣

title: 犯保屏東分會舉辦新春關懷活動　「藍白脫․馨生活」音樂會


dateline: 35 分鐘 ago

content_text:
【記者黃星瑜／ 高雄報導】 為嚴防「武漢肺炎（2019新型冠狀病毒）」的入侵，高雄醫學大學附設中和紀念醫院繼昨天進行防疫演練外，今(23)日起進一步在急診處加裝紅外線體溫偵測儀，對於所有前來急診的病人進行體溫自動監測，避免發燒病人出現漏網之魚。

▲對於所有前來急診的病人進行體溫自動監測。（圖/高雄醫學大學）
高醫附設中和紀念醫院院長侯明鋒每天上下午各召開一次防疫會議，就各種防疫相關措施進行討論，並補實口罩、全身防護衣及一般隔離衣等醫療物資，並要求今天起全院員工配戴口罩、量體溫及再次完成在職教育，以提高防疫知識及能力。對於病人及家屬，醫院也勸導戴口罩，以保護自身安全。

▲要求今天起全院員工配戴口罩、量體溫及再次完成在職教育。（圖/高雄醫學大學）
今天是小年夜，侯明鋒院長帶著高階主管，戴口罩向員工及就診民眾拜早年，人口一罩的特殊景象為歷年春節所未見，期盼大家健康平安過好年。

高醫春節期間一般門診調整為24日(除夕)至27日(年初三)休診，28日(初四)恢復正常；急診全年無休。

高醫感染管制中心主任林俊祐醫師提醒民眾，謹記「勤洗手、戴口罩、據實以告」十字口訣，春節期間人潮擁擠的地方盡量少去，如市場、醫院，並避免接觸野生動物，尤其是禽鳥更要避免接觸。如自國外入境14日內出現發燒或類流感症狀，則可撥打免付費防疫專線1922(或0800-001922)，並依指示戴上口罩儘速就醫，並主動告知醫護人員旅遊史以供醫師確切診斷、治療。

taiwan-subdivisions: 中和 高雄

title: 嚴防「武漢肺炎」　高醫急診加裝紅外線體溫偵測儀


taiwan-subdivisions: 屏東 佳冬

title: 銀花火樹迎金鼠　監所及安置處所春節關懷活動

content_text:
【記者何勁陞／屏東報導】 農曆春節將至，財團法人臺灣更生保護會屏東分會（下稱更保屏東分會）為表達對監所收容人關懷之意，21日結合臺灣屏東地方檢察署（下稱屏東地檢署）及法務部矯正署屏東看守所（下稱屏東看守所）辦理「銀花火樹迎金鼠」春節關懷活動，將愛與關懷送到圍牆內，現場約150名收容人感受農曆春節過年氣氛。

▲臺灣更生保護會屏東分會為表達對監所收容人關懷之意，結合臺灣屏東地方檢察署及法務部矯正署屏東看守所辦理「銀花火樹迎金鼠」春節關懷活動。（圖/犯罪被害人保護協會）
葉淑文檢察長表示：農曆過年是一家團聚的日子，雖然無法返家過年，仍有更生保護會陪伴各位一起過新年。特別感謝今天有公益表演團體願意傳送愛到監所圍牆內，相信透過今日精彩表演能喚出收容人的思鄉之情，早日返家與家人團圓。

葉春麗主委表示：出監後將由更生保護會來協助各位收容人復歸社會，遇到任何問題都不要膽怯，更生保護會一直與您同在。每逢佳節

思親，今年的大家如果無法返家過年，不妨寫封信回家，家人都在等您。

本次活動有長中青三種年齡層帶來精彩演出。首先由石光地方媽媽教室帶來組曲舞蹈開場表演，為活動熱鬧揭開序幕;再由青年代表呂一宸吉他自彈自唱，唱出收容人思鄉思親的心情;為營造農曆年氣氛，特別由屏東地檢署檢察長（兼任更保屏東分會榮譽主任委員）葉淑文、更保屏東分會主任委員葉春麗、屏東看守所所長李進國現場揮毫春聯贈送予收容人，收容人更以吉祥話祝賀在場參加人員。主辦單位也應景準備賀年喜糖予在場的每一位人員，就算在圍牆內也能感受農曆新年氣氛。

其次由團員歲數加起來將近千歲的老頑童行動歌舞劇團，該團係由地方阿公阿嬤組團逾20年，帶來戲劇演出–佳冬石光見黃昏市場風華再現，讓收容人體會圍牆外的鄉村人情多麽地溫馨與關愛，並帶來活力音樂舞蹈;節目尾聲現場加碼演出，更生輔導員蔡淑玟上台營造收容人無法返家過年，並思念家人的橋段，場面溫馨感人，為此次活動劃下完美句點。

為展現柔性司法的一面，活動除長官出席參與及精彩節目演出，還有更保屏東分會常務委員、委員、更生輔導員等人約30人列席，讓所有收容人深刻感受到社會大眾的關懷與溫暖，使收容人吸取正面能量，進而增進社會和諧，儘早復歸社會，返家團圓。

同日下午，屏東地檢署檢察長葉淑文、更保屏東分會委員葉春麗及專任人員等人前往屏東輔導所及伯特利家園致贈慰問品表示關懷。收容弟兄收容期間無法返家團圓過農曆年，藉由關懷慰問傳達關心關愛及真誠接納，進而感受社會大眾給予之溫暖，增加收容弟兄信心，減少再犯機會，有利於復歸社會。

屏東地檢署檢察長葉淑文先向收容弟兄祝賀新春愉快，並給予收容弟兄大力鼓勵，戒癮過程中難免會遇到挫折，但是相信只要堅持信念，一定會有收穫，對於收容弟兄有非常高的期待與肯定。

主任委員葉春麗說明，對於收容弟兄復歸社會環節，家庭支持力量非常重要的一環，也能體會收容弟兄無法返家過年的心情，特此前來關懷慰問。

dateline: 34 分鐘 ago


content_text:
【記者黃星瑜／ 屏東報導】 空軍第六混合聯隊配合國防部下令派遣C-130型運輸機已於今（23日)0940時啓動疏運任務，本次疏運任務預計啓動2架次，可疏運約140員人次返鄉，充分展現國軍愛民助民的精神 ，發揚忠勇軍風。

▲展現國軍愛民助民的精神 ，發揚忠勇軍風。（圖/空軍第六混合聯隊）
執行任務組員表示「春節為國人傳統重要節日，更是國民攜家帶眷返鄉團圓的重要時刻，值勤期間雖然無法返家陪伴家人，但只要人民有需要，身為軍人的我們，秉持服務的精神，苦民所苦，與人民站在一起，協助國人歡度佳節。」

title: 因應農曆春節至 俾利百姓返鄉團圓


title: 屏基高規格備戰嚴重特殊傳染性肺炎(武漢肺炎) 維護就診民眾及員工的健康

dateline: 33 分鐘 ago

content_text:
【記者黃星瑜／ 屏東報導】 這兩天屏基趕工設置急診戶外檢傷站、戶外等候區及行動批掛櫃台，考量工程安全，將急診入口動線暫時圍起，已於今天下午撤除，引起許多民眾關心，在此特別感謝並說明。

▲引起許多民眾關心，在此特別感謝並說明。（圖/屏東基督教醫院）
24日起屏基為符合中央衛生主管機關感控防疫機制，將啟用急診戶外檢傷站、戶外等候區及行動批掛櫃台，進行檢傷分流，建立防線，務求杜絕交叉感染危機，有中國大陸旅遊史、出現發燒或呼吸道症狀的民眾將直接在急診室外的防疫治療區接受看診，與其他病患隔離分流，避免交叉感染。

▲有中國大陸旅遊史、出現發燒或呼吸道症狀的民眾直接在急診室外的防疫治療區接受看診。（圖/屏東基督教醫院）
為有效控管出入醫院的民眾，24日起僅開放門診、急診、放射科至機車停車場三個出入口，為進入醫院的人進行體溫檢測、酒精消毒洗手並提醒民眾配戴口罩，以做好感控工作。除急診門口24小時開放出入外，門診開放時間為上午6點至晚間10點，放射科至機車停車場開放時間為上午8點至晚間8點。

進行訪客限制，急診及病房的陪病親友原則上每床限制兩名。針對14天內自中國大陸返台或曾接觸中國大陸返台並出現發燒或呼吸道症狀的民眾，建議先到急診進行發燒篩檢，暫時先不要進入醫院及護理之家陪病探訪，請改用電話、手機視訊關懷。

過年期間，屏基門診自1月24日下午起至27日休診，急診24小時全年無休，並開設類流感門診(看診時間請至屏基官網查詢)。

敬祝各位鄉親，新年快樂！

從歲首到年終，願耶和華恩福予您

屏東基督教醫院敬啟


title: 24歲護理師「制服藏F核彈」　接班「高衩女神」曬邪惡視角照

content_text:
▲桃月梨子是位護理師，同時也是寫真女星。（圖／翻攝自Instagram／nashiko_cos，下同。）

網搜小組／老嘉郡報導

說到日本近期最火紅的寫真偶像，大概就是桃月梨子了！現年24歲的桃月梨子，有著甜美臉孔、F級「木蘭飛彈」，再加上現役護理師及coser的身份，迅速在寫真界走紅，有不少媒體看好她能成為「高衩女神」川崎綾的接班人、成為新生代炙手可熱的寫真女神。

桃月梨子高中時在快餐店打工，受朋友邀請踏入了Cosplay界，因而在網路上累積了小小的人氣，在2018年時進入演藝圈、並拍攝寫真集出道，也曾在一些電影、廣告、舞台劇演出，本業是護理師的她，初期拍攝寫真多以護士裝或動漫角色為主，近期才逐漸脫離醫療人員、coser的形象，單純展現寫真女星的性感為主。

▲護理師身材這麼火辣，病人的血壓會很容易飆高吧！

魅力與顏值已是偶像等級的桃月梨子，曾經以寫真女星之姿成為日本雜誌的封面女郎，熱愛「精靈寶可夢」的她，還曾穿上皮卡丘的裝扮作為社群帳號的大頭貼，推特上也常常分享各種有關寶可夢的資訊。

桃月梨子先前也為《週刊Playboy》拍攝一系列泳裝寫真，特地飛往沖繩取景，只見穿著比基尼的她，大方展現自己的F罩杯身材，各種邪惡視角讓網友看了快噴鼻血。由於「高衩女神」川崎綾將於3月退出退出寫真界，日本媒體認為桃月梨子很有機會成為新一代的接班人。

▲桃月梨子偶爾也會分享Cosplay的照片。

桃月梨子IG：nashiko_cos

桃月梨子推特：@nashiko_cos


title: China locks down cities to curb virus

content_text:
A passenger stands after arriving at the nearly deserted train station in Wuhan, China, yesterday.Photo: AFP
China yesterday locked down two major cities in a province at the center of a deadly coronavirus outbreak, banning airplanes and trains from leaving in an unprecedented move aimed at containing the disease, which has already spread to other countries.

The respiratory virus has claimed 17 lives since emerging from a seafood and animal market in Wuhan, infected hundreds of other people nationwide and been detected as far away as the US.

Residents in Wuhan, a major port city in Hubei Province with a population of 11 million, were told not to leave “without a special reason,” with the order backed by a transport shutdown.

Trains and flights out of Wuhan were indefinitely suspended and tollways on roads out of the city were closed, leading to fear and panic for those trapped.

Hours later, authorities in neighboring Huanggang announced that public transportation and train services would be suspended at midnight, while people were told to not leave the city of 7.5 million.

All of Huanggang’s movie theaters and Internet cafes, as well as the central market, were to shut down.

A third city, Ezhou, with a population of 1.1 million, announced that its train station had been temporarily closed earlier in the day.

Wuhan’s train station and airport, which should have been packed with people traveling for holiday family reunions, were almost empty except for workers yesterday afternoon.

Few people were seen in the streets of the city and all were wearing masks.

More than 570 people have been infected with the virus across China — with most cases in Wuhan, where a seafood market that illegally sold wild animals has been identified as the likely epicenter of the outbreak.

The coronavirus has caused alarm because of its similarity to SARS, which killed hundreds of people worldwide in 2002 and 2003. Like SARS, it can be passed among people through the respiratory tract.

The first case of the new virus was confirmed on Dec. 31, and it has since been detected in Taiwan, Japan, Hong Kong, Macau, South Korea, Thailand and the US.

The 17 people who died in China were aged 48 to 89 and had pre-existing health conditions, Chinese health authorities said yesterday.

The WHO on Wednesday delayed a decision on whether to declare a global health emergency — a rare instrument used only for the worst outbreaks.

The emergency committee was to meet again yesterday after its chair, Didier Houssin, said that the experts were split over declaring an emergency.

WHO Secretary-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus said that “more information” was needed, but he also praised China’s “very, very strong measures” that would help control the epidemic and “minimize the chances of this outbreak spreading internationally.”

Chinese state media quoted Wuhan’s special disease command center as saying that the quarantine measures are meant to “effectively cut off the virus spread, resolutely curb the outbreak and guarantee the people’s health and safety.”

While departures were banned, trains and airplanes were still allowed into the city, with the tourism and culture department canceling all group tours until Feb. 8, state media reported.

Wuhan has also canceled large public events for the holiday, which starts today.

Animals are suspected to be the primary source of the outbreak, with Chinese health officials saying that the virus originated from the market, where wild animals were illegally sold.

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content_text:
Brazilian piano legend plays once more with help of ‘magic’ gloves he designed

Days before Christmas, acclaimed pianist Joao Carlos Martins ran to a Sao Paulo bar to show off his new gloves to friends. They were seemingly magical, enabling the 79-year-old to play songs with both hands for the first time in 21 years.

It sounds too good to be true, but the proof is in the playing. Sitting at his Petrof piano in his penthouse, Martins reels off Frederic Chopin’s nocturnes with aplomb. Before the gloves, he could only play songs slowly with his thumbs and, sometimes, his index fingers.

The Brazilian classical pianist and conductor, one of the great interpreters of Johann Sebastian Bach’s music, announced his retirement last March after more than 20 surgeries — on his arms, fingers and brain — to stop pains from a degenerative disease and a series of accidents. Limited hand movement left him working mostly as a conductor since the early 2000s.

“After I lost my tools, my hands, and couldn’t play the piano, it was if there was a corpse inside my chest,” Martins said.

Martins’ health problems date back to 1965. He famously rebounded after every setback — nerve damage in his arm inflicted during a soccer match in New York, a mugger hitting him over the head with a metal pipe while he toured in Bulgaria, and more. Even friends expected the latest surgery, on his left hand, to mark the end of his days on the piano bench.

That might have been his fate, were it not for a designer who believed the pianist’s retirement had come too early. Ubirata Bizarro Costa created neoprene-covered bionic gloves that bump Martins’ fingers upward after they depress the keys, and which are held together by a carbon fiber board.

“I did the first models based on images of his hands, but those were far from ideal,” Costa said. “I approached the maestro at the end of a concert in my city of Sumare, in the Sao Paulo countryside. He quickly noticed they wouldn’t work, but then he invited me to his house to develop the project.”

Costa and Martins spent the subsequent months testing several prototypes. The perfect match came last month, and cost only about 500 Brazilians reals (US$119.53) to build. Now Martins never takes off his new gloves, even when going to bed.

“I might not recover the speed of the past. I don’t know what result I will get. I’m starting over as though I were an eight-year-old learning,” he said, joined by his poodle Sebastian, whose name, of course, is a tribute to Bach.

The pianist’s return was first reported by the Brazilian newspaper Folha de S.Paulo. Reporter Ricardo Kotscho said Martins hurried to the bar near his home before Christmas “like a boy who got a new toy.”

Martins said he has received more than 100 gadgets in the last 50 years as miraculous solutions to his hand problems. None worked well or long enough.

“But these gloves do. I can even tune them accordingly,” he said, showing how he can rearrange the glove’s internal pads to play at a faster or slower tempo.

“That doesn’t mean it’s all sorted,” he said. “The muscle atrophy plays a role. Sometimes I try to play a speedy one and get depressed because it just doesn’t happen yet.”

The “extender gloves,” as their inventor calls them, gave Martins a goal: Play the piano again at New York’s Carnegie Hall in October, when he is scheduled to conduct a concert celebrating the 60th anniversary of his first appearance there.

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content_text:
New home mortgages rise; interest rates at new low

PEAK SEASON:Taichung reported the highest monthly growth in the number of transactions, while Taoyuan had the biggest annual increase, government tallies show
As new home mortgages granted by Taiwan’s five major state-run banks reached a five-month high, the average interest rate on new housing loans hit a record low, central bank data released on Tuesday showed.

Total new mortgages granted by Bank of Taiwan (臺灣銀行), Land Bank of Taiwan (土地銀行), Taiwan Cooperative Bank (合作金庫銀行), Hua Nan Commercial Bank (華南銀行) and First Commercial Bank (第一銀行) increased 20.06 percent month-on-month and 31.56 percent year-on-year to NT$60.41 billion (US$2.01 billion) last month, the data showed.

Total new mortgages extended by the five banks for all of last year amounted to NT$592.55 billion, the highest since August in 2011.

The rise in mortgages reflected that December is usually the peak month for the domestic housing market.

It was also in line with the latest housing transaction data released by the six major municipalities, which show that transactions rose 13.3 percent month-on-month and 24.4 percent year-on-year in the six cities to 22,316 units last month, with Taichung posting the highest monthly growth of 30.8 percent and Taoyuan reporting the biggest annual increase of 50 percent, according to local governments’ tallies.

The total number of housing transactions in the six major municipalities increased 9.4 percent to 232,031 units last year from a year ago.

Despite rising mortgage demand, the five banks’ average mortgage rate fell to 1.608 percent per year last month, which was down from the previous month’s 1.617 percent and the lowest on record, the central bank data showed.

The central bank attributed the situation to lenders competing with each other to offer preferential rates for quality clients, the Chinese-language Liberty Times (the Taipei Times’ sister newspaper) reported on Wednesday.

Some local lenders were reportedly offering mortgage rates as low as 1.56 percent annually for military personnel, civil servants and public school teachers, while rates for others were around 1.6 percent, the newspaper said, citing central bank officials.

Demand for mortgages was fueled by the current housing market being mostly focused on owner-occupied or self-use homes while the general performance of the housing market last year was stable, the Liberty Times reported, citing central bank officials.

Separately, the five state-run banks last month saw their average lending rates fall to 1.398 percent, down 0.017 percentage points from 1.415 percent in November, which the central bank attributed to a decline of 0.184 percentage points in the interest rate associated with capital expenditure loans to 1.633 percent.

Thanks to the need for funds by returning Taiwanese companies, capital expenditure loans totaled NT$800.05 billion last year, the highest on record, while the average capital expenditure lending rate was 1.81 percent, the lowest since 2011, central bank data showed.

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content_text:
Quarterback Eli Manning, who won two Super Bowls and was the face of the New York Giants franchise for more than a decade, is retiring from the NFL, the team said on Wednesday.

The Giants said that Manning — who spent all 16 seasons of his NFL career with the Giants after a draft-day trade in 2004 — would formally announce his retirement on Wednesday.

“For 16 seasons, Eli Manning defined what it is to be a New York Giant both on and off the field,” Giants president and CEO John Mara said. “Eli is our only two-time Super Bowl MVP [Most Valuable Player] and one of the very best players in our franchise’s history.”

“He represented our franchise as a consummate professional with dignity and accountability. It meant something to Eli to be the Giants quarterback, and it meant even more to us,” he added.

Manning, 39, led the Giants to Super Bowl victories over the New England Patriots after the 2007 and 2011 seasons.

He is one of just five players in NFL history with at least two Super Bowl MVPs, a club that also includes Joe Montana, Bart Starr, Tom Brady and Terry Bradshaw.

However, he spent most of this season as backup to rookie quarterback Daniel Jones, starting just four games.

Set to become a free agent, Manning had made it clear he did not relish the backup role.

Manning, younger brother of another superstar quarterback, Peyton Manning, started 234 games for the Giants — the fourth most by a quarterback for one club.

He was drafted first overall by the San Diego Chargers in the 2004 draft, but he made it known that he did not want to play in San Diego and was traded to the Giants.

He finishes his career seventh all-time with 366 touchdown passes, seventh in passing yards with 57,023 and tied with Joe Montana for 11th in career wins with 117.

“It was an honor and privilege to coach Eli, and to go through the wonderful and magnificent moments that he and his teammates provided for all of us in the world championship [2007-2008] and [2011-2012] seasons,” former Giants coach Tom Coughlin said.

“He’s an incredible big-game performer. You talk about a guy that’s great to coach, focused every day, took tremendous pride in preparing, practice, had a great sense of humor, was a cynic in the locker room, but the guys loved him, and they loved him for it, and they played for him,” he added.

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title: New York Giants’ Eli Manning calls time on his career


title: Lunar New Year announcement

content_text:
Due to the Lunar New Year holiday, from Friday, Jan. 24, through Thursday, Jan. 30, there will be no features pages. The paper returns to its usual format on Friday, Jan. 31, when features will also be resumed. Kung Hsi Fa Tsai!

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title: Neymar sets up two goals as PSG reach Coupe final

content_text:
Stade de Reims’ Yunis Abdedlhamid, left, challenges Paris Saint-Germain’s Neymar for the ball in their Coupe de la Ligue semi-final in Reims, France, on Wednesday.Photo: AFP
Neymar on Wednesday set up the first two goals with curling set pieces as Paris Saint-Germain won their Coupe de la Ligue semi-final 3-0 away to Stade de Reims on a chilly night.

PSG are next to face Olympique Lyonnais, who beat Lille OSC on penalties on Tuesday, in the final at the Stade de France on April 4.

It was PSG’s second cup match in three days and coach Thomas Tuchel continued to shuffle his squad.

Neymar and Kylian Mbappe, who were unused substitutes as PSG won in the Coupe de France at Lorient on Sunday, started while Mauro Icardi and Angel di Maria, who began that game, shivered on the bench on a below-freezing evening in Champagne country.

The hosts — eighth in Ligue 1, 20 points behind PSG — also made changes from their past league game, as Reims coach David Guion reshuffled his midfield.

Neymar set up the first goal for his fellow Brazilian Marquinhos, another star brought back after a coach-enforced rest, after nine minutes.

Marquinhos, playing in central defense and as captain, raced in to meet an out-swinging Neymar corner. He outleaped the static Reims defenders and his powerful downward header had rebounded into the roof of the net before goalkeeper Predrag Rajkovic could get close to it.

After 31 minutes, Neymar again aimed for Marquinhos with an in-swinging free-kick. When the centerback missed the ball, it caught the man marking him, Alaixys Romao, by surprise and he nodded it toward goal, where fullback Ghislain Konan sliced it into his own net.

Neymar, who produced a combative display, and Mbappe played the full 90 minutes, even though the game was settled by the 77th minute.

After 73 minutes, Reims midfielder Marshall Munetsi received a straight red card for scything down Marco Verratti.

Four minutes later, substitute Nianzou Kouassi forced a rebound over the line to put PSG, eliminated in the quarter-finals last year, three up and sure of a place in the final.

Tempers frayed near the end as Rajkovic was booked for shoving Mbappe in the back and knocking him over.

However, seconds before, Mbappe had needlessly kicked the ball away when Rajkovic was preparing to take a kick.

Mbappe received a yellow card in the last minute for scooping the ball into the net with his hand as he fell over when challenging Reims players for it.

Additional reporting by AP

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content_text:
Home chef Rashmi Sahijwala prepares a dish in her “cloud kitchen” in Mumbai on Jan. 8.Photo: AFP
Rashmi Sahijwala never expected to start working at the age of 59, let alone join India’s gig economy, but she is now part of an army of housewives turning their homes into “cloud kitchens” to feed time-starved millennials.

Asia’s third-largest economy is battling a slowdown so sharp that it is creating a drag on global growth, the IMF said on Monday, but there are some bright spots.

The gig economy, aided by cheap mobile data and abundant labor, has flourished in India, opening up new markets across the vast nation.

Although Indian women have long battled for access to education and employment opportunities, the biggest hurdle for many is convincing conservative families to let them leave home.

However, new apps such as Curryful, Homefoodi and Nanighar are tapping the skills of housewives to slice, dice and prepare meals for hungry urbanites from the comfort of their homes.

The so-called “cloud kitchens” — restaurants that have no physical presence and a delivery-only model — are rising in popularity, as there is a boom in food delivery apps such as Swiggy and Zomato.

“We want to be the Uber of home-cooked food,” said Ben Mathew, who launched Curryful in 2018, convinced that housewives were a huge untapped resource.

His company — which employs five people for the app’s daily operations — works with 52 women and three men, and the 31-year-old Web entrepreneur hopes to get 1 million female chefs onboard by 2022.

“We usually train them in processes of sanitization, cooking, prep time and packaging ... and then launch them on the platform,” Mathew said.

One of the first housewives to join Curryful shortly after its launch in November 2018, Sahijwala was initially apprehensive, despite having four decades of experience in the kitchen.

However, backed by her children, she took the plunge.

Since then, she has undergone a crash course in how to run a business, from creating weekly menus to buying supplies from wholesale markets to cut costs.

The learning curve was steep and Sahijwala switched from cooking everything from scratch to preparing curries and batters for breads in advance to save time and limit leftovers.

She even bought a massive freezer to store fruits and vegetables, despite her husband’s reservations about the cost.

“I told him that I am a professional now,” she said.

In her Mumbai kitchen, Sahijwala is elated to have embarked on a career at an age when her contemporaries are eyeing retirement.

Over the past year, she has seen her profit grow to US$200 a month, but more importantly, she said: “My passion has finally found an outlet. I am just glad life has given me this chance.”

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title: India housewives offer cloud cuisine


title: Regular format resumes on Friday, Jan. 31.

content_text:
To our readers:

Because of the Lunar New Year holiday, from Friday, Jan. 24, through Thursday, Jan. 30, the Taipei Times will have a reduced format without our regular editorials and opinion pieces. From Saturday to Tuesday it will not be delivered to subscribers, but will be available for purchase at convenience stores. Subscribers will receive the editions they missed once normal distribution resumes on Wednesday, Jan. 29.

The paper returns to its usual format on Friday, Jan. 31, when our regular editorials and opinion pieces will also be resumed.

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people: 蔡英文 柯文哲

content_text:
Ministry protests China listing in WHO report

THE RIGHT CONDITIONS:Taipei Mayor Ko Wen-je said that Beijing ignoring anything that might make it look bad delays response to dangerous outbreaks in China
The Ministry of Foreign Affairs yesterday lodged a protest with the WHO for listing a coronavirus infection in Taiwan as part of China’s infection cases.

The WHO on Wednesday released a situation report on the novel coronavirus — first reported in Wuhan, China — following the first on Tuesday.

In the second report, Taiwan’s only infection case was listed as from “Taiwan, China,” alongside Hubei, Guangdong and other provinces of China.

The ministry said in a statement that it has instructed the Geneva office of the Taipei Cultural and Economic Delegation in Switzerland to file a solemn protest with WHO Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus and demand a correction of the nation’s name.

As a global health body, the WHO should reject political pressure and endeavor to allow every human being to enjoy “the highest attainable standard of health” as stipulated in its constitution, the ministry said.

However, the organization continues to comply with China’s barbaric request to impose Beijing’s “one China” principle as a prerequisite for Taiwan to join the global disease prevention system, to which the ministry said that it expressed its strongest protest.

Echoing President Tsai Ing-wen’s (蔡英文) call on Wednesday for the WHO not to exclude Taiwan’s 23 million people due to Chinese pressure, the ministry urged the WHO to invite Taiwanese experts to attend all meetings on combating the coronavirus.

Taiwan can absolutely contribute to global disease prevention with its advanced healthcare and medical system, it added.

Separately yesterday, Taipei Mayor Ko Wen-je (柯文哲), previously a surgeon at National Taiwan University Hospital, said that China often only reports the good news and not the bad, making it easy for responses to outbreaks to be delayed.

Ko — founder of the Taiwan People’s Party, which is to become the third-largest party in the Legislative Yuan following the Jan. 11 legislative elections, and who is sometimes criticized for his ambiguous attitude toward China — made the comment when asked by reporters to compare epidemic prevention in Taiwan and China.

Taiwan’s healthcare system has ranked among the best in the world since the Japanese colonial era, he said.

Even during the SARS epidemic 17 years ago, Taiwan’s prevention efforts were better than those of other nations, he said.

“I am confident in Taiwan’s healthcare system,” Ko said.

Asked about Chinese Ministry of Foreign Affairs spokesman Geng Shuang’s (耿爽) claim on Wednesday that “no one cares more” about the health of Taiwanese than the Chinese government, Ko said: “In that case, it should quickly allow Taiwan to join the WHO.”

Asked about Geng also saying that Taiwan could only join global organizations under the “one China” principle, Ko said that meant: “If you do not listen to me, then I will not care about your health.”

The coronavirus has an incubation period of up to 12 days, so a person could contract the disease and, without exhibiting symptoms, board an airplane and pass through health checks, Ko said, adding that the important thing now is to quickly stamp out viruses once they are discovered.

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content_text:
Far Eastern Air Transport deputy manager Lu Chi-rong, center, yesterday leads company employees to the Ministry of Transportation and Communications in Taipei to submit a petition.Photo: Cheng Wei-chi, Taipei Times
Far Eastern Air Transport (FAT) employees yesterday petitioned the Ministry of Transportation and Communications to give the airline a second opportunity and assist it in resuming flight services.

Led by FAT deputy manager Lu Chi-rong (盧紀融), about a dozen employees turned in a written petition with 580 staff signatures to the ministry and the Executive Yuan.

“The company has found a quality investor. Employees would get their salaries so long as the government assists the airline in resuming flight services,” Lu said. “We are asking the government to give the airline a chance, and give employees a way to work and survive.”

Deputy Minister of Transportation and Communications Wang Kwo-tsai (王國材) said the airline has suspended its flight services for more than 40 days, and the Civil Aviation Act (民用航空法) requires that it must first pass a five-stage review from the Civil Aeronautics Administration before it can resume operations.

This procedure is the only way that the airline could restart flight services, regardless of whether the ministry decides to revoke its air operator certificate, he said.

“The investor should be more interested in knowing if FAT’s employees and aircraft are sound enough to ensure flight safety,” Wang added.

FAT chairman Chang Kang-wei (張綱維) on Dec. 13 told a news conference that it was the airline’s management who misunderstood the situation and made the decision to suspend flight services, adding that it was applying to resume services.

On Wednesday, he said that the company could only secure new funding if the ministry allows the airline to resume flight services.

However, the ministry said that Chang has failed five times to keep his promise of securing new funding for the company.

The airline’s employees have yet to receive their salaries for last month, Lu said, adding that most of them are hoping that the government would help them.

More than half of the employees have signed the petition, she added.

In the petition, employees said that they still go to work every day, even though flight services has been suspended since Dec. 13, because they need their job to support their families.

“Some of us are senior employees who have dedicated their whole life to the company,” the statement said. “We understand that the company is having financial difficulties at the moment, but all of us, including our families, would lose our financial support if the ministry continues to prohibit the airline from resuming flight services,” the statement read.

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title: Airline staff turn to ministry for help


title: Health ministry expands border control measures

people: 蔡英文 陳時中

content_text:
By Shelley Shan, Lin Hui-chin and Dennis Xie / Staff reporters, with staff writer
People wear surgical masks at a crowded Lunar New Year fair in Taipei yesterday.Photo: Tu Chien-jung, Taipei Times

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The nation’s epidemic response command center has upgraded efforts against the 2019 novel coronavirus by expanding border control measures to include all travelers from China, Hong Kong and Macau, Minister of Health and Welfare Chen Shih-chung (陳時中) said yesterday.

Wuhan residents would be prevented from entering Taiwan, Chen told a news conference in Taipei.

Symptom-free travelers from China, Hong Kong and Macau would need to sign a declaration of good health and say whether they were routed through Wuhan, with those making false declarations, a breach of the Communicable Disease Control Act (傳染病防治法), facing a fine of NT$10,000 to NT$150,000, Chen added.

Chinese tourists who have visited Wuhan in the past 14 days would be reported and hospitalized, or monitored by officials, depending on their status, he said.

The 3,000 to 4,000 people returning from Wuhan over the past two weeks and over the next two weeks are to have their health status surveyed, he said.

President Tsai Ing-wen (蔡英文) in a Facebook video reminded people to wash their hands often and take preventative measures on public transportation, saying that the government would be closely monitoring developments.

Four airlines with services between Taiwan and Wuhan canceled their flights after Wuhan transportation systems were shut down.

Deputy Minister of Transportation and Communications Wang Kwo-tsai (王國材) said that China Airlines (中華航空), Mandarin Airlines (華信航空), China Eastern Airlines (中國東方航空) and China Southern Airlines (南方航空) offer 12 flights to Wuhan each week: five from Taiwan Taoyuan International Airport, two from Taipei International Airport (Songshan airport) and five from Kaohsiung International Airport.

“Whether or when these flight services will be resumed depends on the situation with the virus,” Wang added.

China Airlines announced that both it and its subsidiary Mandarin Airlines would cancel flights to Wuhan — China Airlines flights (CI541/542) between Taoyuan and Wuhan and Mandarin Airlines flights (AE217/218) between Songshan airport and Wuhan — until the end of next month, as the Chinese airport is closed.

The airline said that it would help passengers scheduled to return to Wuhan during this time to fly to a nearby city.

To comply with government containment policies, both airlines said that flight attendants serving flights to China, Hong Kong and Macau, as well as between Songshan airport and Kinmen and between Taichung and Kinmen — part of the “small three links” — would wear masks and offer them to passengers.

The Tourism Bureau said that local travel agencies have been asked to help Chinese tourists from Wuhan return to China.

A total of 130 tourists from Wuhan were visiting Taiwan, the bureau said on Wednesday, adding that some were scheduled to return yesterday and today.

“Travel agencies must ensure that these tourists do not overstay,” Tourism Bureau Director-General Chou Yung-hui (周永暉) said.

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content_text:
Tesla exceeds US$100bn, lines up big Musk payout

PAYDAY MILESTONE:With Tesla’s capitalization now bigger than Ford and GM, Elon Musk can make US$371 million by selling shares unlocked by the valuation
Tesla and SpaceX CEO Elon Musk addresses a news conference at the Kennedy Space Center in Cape Canaveral, Florida, on Sunday.Photo: AP
The meteoric rise of Tesla Inc shares that recently pushed the company’s value over US$100 billion could turn into a supercharged payday for CEO Elon Musk.

Stock in Tesla rose another 4.1 percent on Wednesday, pushing the market value of the electric vehicle and solar panel maker past a critical milestone in Musk’s pay package. He could get a stock options package worth over US$371 million.

Tesla shares closed at US$569.56 on Wednesday, giving the company a market capitalization of US$102.7 billion.

Shares have tripled in value since May, meaning Tesla’s market capitalization now exceeds the value of Ford Motor Corp and General Motors Co, combined.

For Musk, hitting US$100 billion in market value triggers an option to buy 1.69 million shares of Tesla stock for US$350.02 per share. If he sells the shares, he would make just over US$371 million.

However, for the options to vest, the market capitalization has to average above US$100 billion for the next six months, and it has to be above US$100 billion for the next 30 business days, according to the compensation packages detailed in company filings with the US Securities and Exchange Commission.

Musk could get more stock payouts for every additional US$50 billion increase in market capitalization. By meeting ambitious market capitalization and operational milestones, he could earn more than US$50 billion over the next decade if that value hits US$650 billion.

In the third quarter, Tesla posted a surprising US$143 million profit, raising hopes that the company, which also makes battery storage units, could finally be turning the corner to profitability.

However, Tesla has posted mostly losses during its first decade as a publicly held company, and it lost US$1.1 billion during the first half of last year. The company reports fourth-quarter results on Wednesday.

Earlier this year the company said it delivered a record of about 112,000 vehicles in the fourth quarter and about 367,500 for the full year last year.

Tesla, based in Palo Alto, California, had earlier projected deliveries of between 360,000 and 400,000 units worldwide.

Analyst Dan Ives of Wedbush Securities offered an upbeat view of Tesla in a research note on Wednesday.

“In our opinion, the company has the most impressive product roadmap out of any technology/auto vendor around (which the market cap reflects vs. its traditional auto competitors) and will be a ‘game changing’ driving force for the EV (electric vehicle) transformation over the next decade with Model 3 front and center,” Ives said.

US President Donald Trump offered praise for Musk in a CNBC television interview aired on Wednesday.

“You have to give him credit,” Trump said.

“He’s one of our great geniuses, and we have to protect our genius. You know, we have to protect Thomas Edison and we have to protect all of these people that — came up with originally the light bulb and — the wheel and all of these things. And he’s one of our very smart people.”

Additional reporting by AFP

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content_text:
A C-130 Hercules water tanker in the Australian Rural Fire Service — similar to the one that crashed in New South Wales yesterday — drops water in an undated photograph.Photo: AP
Three people yesterday died when a C-130 Hercules aerial water tanker crashed while battling wildfires in the Snowy Monaro region of Australia’s New South Wales, officials said.

New South Wales Premier Gladys Berejiklian confirmed the deaths and crash in comments to reporters, as Australia attempts to deal with an unprecedented fire season that has left a large swath of destruction.

“The only thing I have from the field reports are that the plane came down. It’s crashed and there was a large fireball associated with that crash,” New South Wales Rural Fire Service Commissioner Shane Fitzsimmons said, adding that all three aboard were US residents.

“Unfortunately, all we’ve been able to do is locate the wreckage and the crash site, and we have not been able to locate any survivors,” he said.

There are more than 1,700 volunteers and personnel in the field, and five fires are being described at an “emergency warning level,” Berejiklian said.

Also yesterday, the Canberra Airport closed because of nearby wildfires and residents south of Australia’s capital were told to seek shelter.

The blaze started on Wednesday, but strong winds and high temperatures caused conditions in Canberra to deteriorate. A second fire near the airport, which started yesterday morning, is at the “watch and act” level.

“Arrivals and departures are affected due to aviation firefighting operations,” the airport authority said in a tweet.

Another tweet from traffic police said that “the fire is moving fast and there are multiple road closures in the area. Please avoid the area. Local road blocks in place.”

Residents in some Canberra suburbs were advised to seek shelter and others to leave immediately.

“The defense force is both assisting to a degree and looking to whether that needs to be reinforced,” Australian Defense Force Chief General Angus Campbell told reporters.

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title: Firefighting airplane crashes in Australia with three aboard


content_text:
Taiwan Power Co’s Taichung Power Plant is pictured in an undated photograph.Photo: Tsai Shu-yuan, Taipei Times
State-run Taiwan Power Co (Taipower, 台電) yesterday cut power generation by more than half at its coal-fired Singda Power Plant (興達) in Kaohsiung and the Taichung Power Plant, citing environmental concerns, as well as falling electricity consumption during the Lunar New Year holiday.

As industrial production and commercial activity across the nation slow to a halt during the long holiday, Taipower said that it would maintain lower power generation from the two plants throughout the period and take advantage of the lower demand to carry out routine inspections.

Total power consumption nationwide is expected to decline over the next few days to a minimum of 20.3 million kilowatt-hours (kWh) by Sunday and would steadily rise to 23.3 million kWh as the holiday ends on Wednesday next week, it said.

“We already halted two generators at the Singda Power Plant and cut power generation by nearly 60 percent for the remaining two generators at the plant,” a Taipower official surnamed Lin (林) told the Taipei Times by telephone.

Taipower has also shut down five generators at the Taichung Power Plant, which has been the topic of a heated debate between the state-run utility and the Taichung City Government, with another five generators running at about 65 percent capacity.

The Taichung plant might see another of its generators shut down today or in the following days depending on the level of electricity consumption, Lin said, adding that Taipower would nevertheless maintain its power reserve margin at more than 10 percent.

The city government on Tuesday accused the facility of being the main reason for the city’s air pollution.

The Environmental Protection Administration on Monday approved Taipower’s plan to build two new natural gas-fired generators at the plant.

Taipower plans to add the two units, which would have a combined installed capacity of 2.6 million kilowatts, and reserve four of the 10 coal-fired generators as backups.

The company has vowed to reactivate a maximum of two coal-fired units only in the most dire of situations.

Taipower posted pretax losses of NT$14.7 billion (US$489.9 million) for last year, mainly due to unadjusted electricity rates, which remained at about NT$2.62 per kilowatt-hour.

However, based on an estimated allocation of NT$41.2 billion from an energy price stabilization fund, Taipower is expected to register profit of NT$26.5 billion for last year, an 11.67 percent decline from profit of NT$30 billion in 2018.

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title: Power generation at two local plants to be cut


title: First shipment of Taiwan guavas arrives in the US

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The first shipment of Taiwanese guavas to the US, sold at US$4.99 per pound, are displayed for sale at a supermarket in Los Angeles yesterday.Photo: CNA
The first shipment of Taiwanese guavas to the US has arrived after more than 20 days at sea, an event that was celebrated on Wednesday by Taiwan’s representative office in Los Angeles.

The guavas were shipped from Tainan on Dec. 27 last year, following the signing of an export agreement by the two countries in October. With the shipment of the 13 metric tonnes of guavas to Los Angeles, Taiwan became only the second country in the world to supply the fruit to the US, after Mexico.

The arrival of the shipment was marked with a ceremony organized by the Taipei Economic and Cultural Office in Los Angeles.

At the ceremony, US Representative Judy Chu (趙美心) said the US’ importation of guavas from Taiwan was a “great step forward” for trade relations between the two sides.

“The value of our partnership with Taiwan cannot be understated,” Chu said, adding that Taiwan is the US’ 11th-largest trade partner, while the US is Taiwan’s largest foreign investor.

She said the “fabulous” guavas were one of the most memorable experiences she had during a summer spent in Taiwan when she was a college student.

Also speaking at the event, Andrew Edlefsen, an officer at the US’ Foreign Commercial Service, said bilateral trade between the US and Taiwan totaled US$95 billion in 2018 and will continue to grow.

“I am very happy to see this trade relationship with Taiwan move forward and to see what the future brings,” he said.

Edlefsen also said guavas were his favorite fruit when he lived in Taiwan for five years.

Franz Gehrig, an official with the Consulate General of Switzerland in Los Angeles, said he was impressed when he learned that Taiwan was not just an exporter of high-tech products, but also had a vibrant agricultural sector.

“We hope that in the future, there will also be guavas going to Switzerland from Taiwan,” Gehrig said.

In addition to guavas, Taiwan also exports lychees, carambolas, longans and mangoes to the US, according to Lin Li-fang (林麗芳), head of the agricultural division at Taipei’s representative office in Washington.

The first shipment of guavas, which had to be refrigerated during the trip to avoid fruit fly infestation, will be distributed to supermarkets on the US west coast, Lin said.

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IRent, an electric-scooter sharing company, plans to expand its service to Taoyuan to cover the nation’s six special municipalities, it said on Tuesday.

Service would start after the seven-day Lunar New Year holiday, which ends on Wednesday next week, the company said.

IRent scooters are currently available in Taipei and New Taipei City in the north, Taichung in central Taiwan and Tainan and Kaohsiung in the south.

The company is operated by Taiwan’s largest vehicle vendor, Hotai Motor, which is a sales agent for Japan’s Toyota Motor.

Other major scooter sharing firms in Taiwan are GoShare, run by Gogoro, and WeMo.

Hotai Motor said that it is keen to forge strategic partnerships with other companies and government agencies to provide more sharing services.

Electric-scooter sharing services have gained popularity among Taiwanese, particularly after the YouBike bicycle sharing service was successfully launched in Taipei, market observers said.

About 90 percent of people in Taiwan know about the sharing economy, and about 40 percent of them have used sharing services at least once, statistics showed.

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title: Scooter sharing firm to expand into Taoyuan


content_text:
Wholesale sales reverse four months of declines

STRONG ORDERS:The timing of the Lunar New Year has generated rosy sales of food, beverages, tobacco, pharmaceuticals, cosmetics, and household appliances
Sales generated by the nation’s wholesale sector increased 4.8 percent on an annual basis last month to NT$883.2 billion (US$29.41 billion), ending four consecutive months of annual declines, the Ministry of Economic Affairs’ statistics department said on Wednesday.

The sector has mainly the machinery equipment industry to thank for its recovery, as it posted a 6.5 percent year-on-year increase in sales last month to NT$330.4 billion, contributing around 37.41 percent of the sector’s overall revenue.

“Companies have reported strong orders of mobile phones and other network communication devices for last month,” Department of Statistics Director-General Wang Shu-chuan (王淑娟) told a press conference on Wednesday in Taipei, adding that domestic investments from the semiconductor sector have also been partly responsible for the industry’s growth.

As the Lunar New Year falls on an earlier date this year, the food, beverage and tobacco industry, the pharmaceutical and cosmetics industry, and the household appliances industry all witnessed rosy sales last month, increasing 7.7 percent, 10.6 percent and 8.9 percent year-on-year respectively, the ministry’s data showed.

“We also saw a strong performance from the automotive industry last month, which posted an 8.7 percent year-on-year increase in sales,” Wang said, citing growing sales of commercial vehicles as well as the popularity of newly launched car models as the main reasons.

The construction materials industry, the wholesale sector’s second-largest contributor, continued to suffer from weak market demand as it posted a 1.7 percent year-on-year decline in sales last month to NT$104.9 billion, but the figure was its best for last year, Wang said.

Overall revenue totaled NT$10.25 trillion for the wholesale sector last year, decreasing 2.1 percent from NT$10.47 trillion in 2018, the ministry’s data indicated.

Meanwhile, the nation’s retail sector reported a 2.7 percent year-on-year increase in sales last month to NT$350.3 billion.

Healthy sales of general merchandise and vehicles remain the biggest driver behind the sector’s growth as they amounted to NT$109.1 billion and NT$64.7 billion each, increasing by 0.7 percent and 12.2 percent year-on-year last month.

The relatively small increase in sales of general merchandise, however, has chiefly department stores to blame, as they posted a 2.4 percent decline in sales last month due to a timing gap in the launching of annual promotional sales between last year and the year before.

Online sales including e-commerce and catalog sales remained robust, increasing 9 percent annually to NT$28.3 billion last month, as a result of the “Double 12” shopping event, Christmas holiday purchases and end-of-year banquets.

However, sales of network communications devices and home appliances continued to decline by 6.7 percent year-on-year to NT$18.5 billion as companies closed down several brick-and-mortar stores.

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people: 陳水扁 蔡英文

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Chen Shih-meng and Chen Shui-bian meet, fueling speculation on next move

Outgoing Control Yuan member Chen Shih-meng (陳師孟) visited former president Chen Shui-bian (陳水扁), prompting speculation about their plans and coinciding with the release yesterday of an online poll showing support for investigating misconduct and abuse of power in the justice system.

The former president yesterday posted a photograph on Facebook showing him and Chen Shih-meng sitting and smiling while holding Chen Shui-bian’s book published in May last year, with the message: “Pushing to uphold judicial reform, but the wings were clipped before taking flight.”

The post was believed to be a reference to Chen Shih-meng’s resignation last week from the Control Yuan after encountering opposition for attempting to investigate “dinosaur judges” for allegedly issuing politically biased rulings.

Chen Shih-meng, who also spoke out about political figures obstructing judicial reform and protecting judges from scrutiny, is to leave office at the end of the month.

The meeting led to speculation that Chen Shih-meng was working to consolidate “deep green” groups and supporters of the former president after the Taiwan Action Party Alliance was disbanded when it received only 1.02 percent of party votes in the Jan. 11 legislative elections.

Others have said that Chen Shih-meng might attempt to restart the civic group Friends of Beanstalk Association, which he cofounded in 2009, when the Chinese Nationalist Party (KMT) controlled the central government.

A poll conducted by local online media outlet ETToday found that 46.7 percent of respondents agree that the Control Yuan should have the power for checks and balances against the judiciary to prevent the justice system from becoming dictatorial.

The poll also found that 67.5 percent of respondents believed that Taiwan’s justice system does not have judicial independence.

A total of 67.2 percent of respondents said they believe that President Tsai Ing-wen’s (蔡英文) efforts toward judicial reform have made no progress, while about 20 percent said that they believe her efforts have made progress.

The poll, conducted on Tuesday and Wednesday, collected 1,492 valid samples through mobile phone text messages, ETToday said.

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content_text:
Online rumors of virus in Changhua County not true

SOCIAL MEDIA TALES:The person who spread the rumor on Facebook and the Line messaging app faces a fine of NT$3 million, an official said
The Changhua County Public Health Bureau yesterday rejected rumors that a county hospital was treating a patient diagnosed with the novel coronavirus spreading from Wuhan City in China’s Hubei Province.

No patients with the pneumonia-like virus, dubbed the 2019 novel coronavirus, have been found in the county, bureau head Yeh Yen-po (葉彥伯) said.

The rumor has been circulating on the messaging app Line with the statement that “we now have a patient of the novel coronavirus in our hospital, although this is not on the news,” the agency said.

“Do not visit Yuanlin Christian Hospital unless you really have to,” the message from an unidentified person said, adding that their sister-in-law, a nurse who works at the hospital, told them of the patient.

A similar rumor circulated on Facebook as early as three days ago, saying that the patient was in Changhua’s Yuan Sheng Hospital, Yeh said.

The bureau has investigated both rumors and confirmed them to be false, he said, adding that it had also contacted the person who published the Facebook post and they removed it.

The person, in spreading rumors about the disease, breached the Communicable Disease Control Act (傳染病防治法) and faces a fine of up to NT$3 million (US$99,980), Yeh said.

The novel coronavirus has been designated a category-five communicable disease, Yuanlin Christian Hospital said, adding that it would report any discovered case to the government as required by law.

Separately, Chinese-language TV station CtiTV News talk show host Wang Yu-cheng (王又正) on Wednesday sparked controversy by suggesting that wearing surgical masks might not be a priority for disease control.

“The Democratic Progressive Party [DPP] should control the disease by preventing the virus from entering Taiwan, closely monitoring those who might have been infected and curing the infected,” he said in a talk show.

“If the DPP can do that, what is the need for wearing masks? Do people need to wear masks in Taiwan? No,” he said.

DPP legislator Lin Ching-yi (林靜儀), a former obstetrician, yesterday said that urging the public to not wear masks as a response to disease might contravene the act.

She has already informed the Central Epidemic Command Center to mete out fines for such behaviors, she wrote on Facebook.

Additional reporting by Ann Maxon

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content_text:
Tokyo 2020 Olympics: Tokyo enters final straight before Summer Olympics

Organizers enter the final stretch of a decade of Olympics planning today, six months before the start of the Tokyo Games, with most major wobbles in the rearview mirror.

The organizers are dealing with fewer issues than their counterparts did in the buildup to the Rio de Janeiro Games four years ago, but a few challenges still remain before the opening ceremony on July 24 — including Tokyo’s notoriously hot summer weather.

“Everything is coming together now and we are extremely excited,” Tokyo Games spokesman Masa Takaya told reporters via e-mail. “It has been a long journey, with some bumps here and there, but for the most part everything has gone well. Everything is where we wanted it to be with six months to go — sometimes in an even better place.”

Noticeably different from Brazil is the weight of public support behind the Tokyo Games, with almost 4.5 million tickets already sold on the domestic market.

By contrast, the Rio Olympics were met with widespread criticism over the use of public funds, as money was poured into venues that have since largely become white elephants.

The centerpiece of Tokyo’s Olympics facilities is likely to be the 68,000-capacity New National Stadium that was opened by Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe last month.

Construction did not always go smoothly and kicked off about 14 months later than planned, in December 2016, after outcry over the original design.

Other complications included Japanese Olympic Committee president Tsunekazu Takeda resigning last year after allegations of suspected corruption related to bidding for the Games.

In 2015, organizers scrapped the original logo over accusations of plagiarism.

Last month, the World Anti-Doping Agency barred Russian athletes from competing at major international events for four years as punishment for doctoring laboratory drug test data.

However, the biggest issue for organizers, and one which still has questions hanging over it, is how to deal with Tokyo’s sweltering summer heat.

Tokyo temperatures in July and August, when the city is to host the Games, regularly exceed 30°C, with high humidity.

After organizers failed to adequately provide assurances about dealing with the heat, the International Olympic Committee moved the marathon and race walking events 800km north to Sapporo.

Although it means that Tokyo will not play host to one of the Olympics’ signature events, organizers have said that it would not affect the Games.

“If Tokyo 2020, the government of Tokyo and the government of Sapporo manage to organize a world-class marathon in less than nine months, it will be a tour de force,” Takaya said.

“It will show that, no matter what, Japan is a safe pair of hands, and an incredibly committed and capable partner,” he added.

Final preparations still need to be made, but Tokyo is in celebratory mood.

The city is today to mark the six-month milestone with a fireworks display above a giant Olympic rings monument erected in Tokyo Bay.

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content_text:
Leaders gather without Poland

NO SPEAKING PRIVILEGES:Poland turned down an invitation to the Auschwitz forum in Israel after it was told it would not be allowed to speak, and is hosting its own event
Dozens of world leaders yesterday convened in Jerusalem to mark the 75th anniversary of the liberation of Auschwitz, amid a backdrop of rising anti-Semitism in Europe and the US.

However, the president of Poland, where the Nazi concentration camp was built during the German occupation of World War II, was to stay away due to rankling disputes with both Russia and Israel.

Israel has hailed the World Holocaust Forum as the biggest international gathering in its history. Russian President Vladimir Putin and US Vice President Mike Pence are among the attendees.

Poland is to host its own event at the Auschwitz-Birkenau Memorial and Museum on Monday next week.

More than 1 million people, most of them Jews, were killed at the Auschwitz-Birkenau camp. Six million Jews died in the Holocaust.

Speeches at the Jerusalem event were likely to focus on the horrors of the Nazi Holocaust, as well as a more recent rise in anti-Semitism rhetoric and attacks worldwide.

A global survey released in November by the US-based Anti-Defamation League found that global anti-Semitic attitudes had increased, and significantly in Eastern and Central Europe. It found that large percentages of people in many European countries think Jews talk too much about the Holocaust.

Israeli President Reuven Rivlin on Wednesday addressed this at a reception he hosted for the visiting leaders.

“I hope and pray ... that the leaders of the world will stand united in the fight against racism, anti-Semitism and extremism, in defending democracy and democratic values,” he said.

In Jerusalem, the high-profile guest list includes French President Emmanuel Macron, German President Frank-Walter Steinmeier and Britain’s Prince Charles.

Polish President Andrzej Duda turned down an invitation to the conference, expressing dissatisfaction that representatives of Russia, France, Britain, the US and Germany would speak, while Poland was told it would not be allowed to.

Israeli organizers said only the four World War II allies, and Germany, would address the gathering.

Polish leaders have also been angered by comments made by Putin last month suggesting that Poland shared responsibility for the war.

Warsaw would be scrutinizing speeches by Putin and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, who Israel’s Channel 12 TV reported might echo some of the Russian leader’s accusations against Poland in return for the pardon of an Israeli woman imprisoned in Russia on drug charges.

“Above all, we are asking that the memory of the Holocaust, that terrible crime, the memory of its victims, is not exploited for political reasons. That would be vile,” Polish Deputy Foreign Minister Szymon Szynkowski vel Sek said on Tuesday.

The international gathering could burnish Netanyahu’s domestic image as an international statesman. The veteran right-wing leader faces his third election in less than a year on March 2, amid legal woes and political deadlock.

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title: Leaders gather without Poland


content_text:
Apple Inc’s iPhone shipments in India grew 6 percent last year, compared with a 43 percent decline in the previous year, stabilizing its position in a rare market that still exhibits growth in smartphone demand.

Discounting the iPhone XR by US$250 in the middle of the year made it Apple’s best-selling phone in the country, according to Counterpoint Technology Market Research. The fall introduction of the iPhone 11, with a reduced starting price, “helped to gain share during the festive season and in its launch quarter in India,” the researchers added.

In a country where the annual per capita income barely exceeds US$2,100, an iPhone with a four-figure price tag is an out-of-reach aspirational object for most. Apple is having to go up against Android rivals averaging prices below US$200 and its market share is correspondingly low: of the roughly 158 million smartphones shipped in India last year, Apple sold less than 2 million.

“Apple is shifting focus from older-generation iPhones to selling the latest models and that is a big change,” said Tarun Pathak, a Gurgaon-based associate director at Counterpoint. The iPhone 11 family of devices arrived in India a month after its global launch, a significant acceleration on previous years.

Additionally, Apple is set to unveil a successor to the iPhone SE in March, Bloomberg News has reported, which will offer its latest processor and software at a lower cost. The original iPhone SE of 2016 started life at a US$399 price point, which, while still premium by Indian standards, would be more attainable than the flagship iPhone price.

Counterpoint’s data indicates that India’s premium segment is growing at 20 percent, almost doubling the roughly 10 percent growth of the local smartphone market overall, which suggests greater opportunity for Apple. Pathak said that Apple is “making it even more affordable to Indians by selling at zero-interest monthly installments.”

While Apple has managed to reverse the massive slide of 2018, its shipments for last year are still down more than a quarter from 2016. The iPhone maker continues to struggle to make headway in India against cheaper smartphones from the likes of OnePlus and Samsung Electronics Co.

Over a year ago, the US phone maker revamped its distributor partnerships and started assembling in India through its Taiwanese partners Hon Hai Precision Industry Co (鴻海精密) and Wistron Corp (緯創), helping it avoid hefty import duties of 20 percent.

The company has also been eyeing locations for brick-and-mortar Apple stores in India, showing renewed interest in the fast-growing market.

“In 2020, Apple will go all-out on India,” Pathak said.

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title: Apple solidifies iPhone position in India


title: Texas Instruments points to signs of IC industry revival

content_text:
Texas Instruments Inc gave a quarterly sales and profit forecast that was in line with estimates, indicating that demand from electronics makers is poised to improve amid progress resolving the China-US trade dispute.

First-quarter earnings will be US$0.96 a share to US$1.14 a share, on revenue of US$3.12 billion to US$3.38 billion, the Dallas-based company said in a statement on Wednesday. On average, analysts predicted profit of US$1.04 a share and sales of US$3.2 billion, according to data compiled by Bloomberg.

Texas Instruments has the biggest customer list and widest product range in the semiconductor industry, making its earnings an indicator of demand across the economy.

The company has told investors the electronics business is in the middle of a typical cyclical decline after companies ordered too many parts last year. Such gluts typically last five quarters.

In Wednesday’s report, which also included fourth-quarter results, Texas Instruments posted its fifth consecutive period of year-over-year revenue declines.

“Most markets showed signs of stabilizing,” the company said in the statement.

The company’s forecast for the first quarter was held back by the outlook for the communications equipment industry, which is “going down hard,” Texas Instruments chief financial officer Rafael Lizardi said during a conference call.

Texas Instruments’ key industrial and automotive markets are close to returning to growth, he said.

Three months ago, Texas Instruments said that the US trade dispute with China, the world’s largest market for semiconductors, was adding to customer caution. Since then the countries have signed the first part of what is promised to be a comprehensive set of trade agreements.

Like other chipmakers, the company has raised to the US government the risks to the industry from the trade fight with China and the action taken against Chinese telecommunications equipment giant Huawei Technologies Co (華為). Washington has barred US companies from doing business in many cases with Huawei, citing national security concerns.

Texas Instruments generated 3 percent to 4 percent of its annual revenue last year and in 2018 from Huawei, one of the biggest buyers of semiconductors, the company said.

On Wednesday, Texas Instruments reported fourth-quarter net income fell to US$1.07 billion, or US$1.12 per share, from US$1.24 billion, or US$1.27, in the same period a year earlier. Revenue dropped almost 10 percent to US$3.35 billion. Analysts had estimated a profit of US$1.01 a share on sales of US$3.21 billion.

The company’s chips perform basic functions in everything from factory machinery to mobile phones.

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content_text:
Jayson Tatum on Wednesday scored 23 points before leaving the game in the third quarter with a groin injury as the Boston Celtics routed the Memphis Grizzlies 119-95.

Daniel Theis had 14 points, while Enes Kanter finished with 13 points and eight rebounds to help Boston win their second straight.

Memphis have lost two in a row since posting a season-high, seven-game winning streak.

Jonas Valanciunas led the Grizzlies with 16 points and 13 rebounds. Jaren Jackson Jr and Solomon Hill each added 13 points.

Tatum limped to the locker room with a right groin strain with 4 minutes, 43 seconds left in the third.

He returned to the bench at the start of fourth quarter with his right leg wrapped, but was still noticeably in pain and did not return.

However, Boston did not need him, using a 22-3 run — capped by a three-pointer by Gordon Hayward — to increase their 12-point halftime lead to 87-54. Kemba Walker, Hayward and Marcus Smart scored 18 of Boston’s first 20 points in the third period.

Boston were six of seven from the three-point line. It was the worst third quarter of the season for Memphis, who were outscored by 22 points.

The Celtics’ lead grew as high as 38 points in the fourth.

Boston missed 13 of their first 17 field-goal attempts, including going one of eight from the three-point line.

Walker, Hayward and Smart scored just six points between them in the first half, combining to go just one of 16 from the field.

It helped Memphis, who had the highest scoring offense last month (118.7 per game since Dec. 9), to take a 42-35 lead in the second quarter.

However, Boston got their footing and used a 23-0 run to take a 58-42 advantage. The Grizzlies went scoreless for 6 minutes, 51 seconds until Valanciunas scored with just 1.3 seconds left before halftime.

In other results, it was:

‧ Thunder 120, Magic 114

‧ Raptors 107, 76ers 95

‧ Pistons 127, Kings 106

‧ Hawks 102, Clippers 95

‧ Heat 134, Wizards 129 OT

‧ Lakers 100, Knicks 92

‧ Bulls 117, Timberwolves 110

‧ Rockets 121, Nuggets 105

‧ Pacers 112, Suns 87

‧ Spurs 121, Pelicans 117

‧ Jazz 129, Warriors 96

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title: Tatum leaves injured in Celtics’ rout of Grizzlies


title: Public firms raised 9% less funds last year: FSC

content_text:
The nation’s publicly traded companies raised funds totaling NT$573.7 billion (US$19.12 billion) last year, sliding 9 percent annually as companies became more conservative amid global economic uncertainty, the Financial Supervisory Commission (FSC) said on Tuesday.

That marked the lowest level over the past three years, except for the NT$419.1 billion raised in 2016, the commission’s data showed.

Companies usually issue shares to raise capital to expand their operations or repay debts, but some firms may refrain from raising new funds if they are uncertain about their business plan, given that US-China trade tensions have changed the dynamics of supply chains worldwide, the commission said.

REINVESTMENT

That might explain why local companies reinvested less last year, with the amount of reinvestment slumping 54 percent year-on-year to NT$50.5 billion. Last year, local firms only allocated 8.86 percent of the funds they raised to re-investment, lower than the 18.71 percent registered a year earlier, the commission’s data showed.

Instead, local companies allocated 54 percent, or NT$308.8 billion, of the overall funds raised to repay debts, from 47.99 percent a year earlier, according to the data.

A total of 17 percent, or NT$97.3 billion, was spent on expanding factories or equipment, while another 15 percent, or NT$86 billion, was raised to improve companies’ financial structure, the commission said.

MERGERS

No companies splashed out on mergers or acquisitions last year, the commission said.

“The slowdown in public fundraising was in line with the deceleration of initial public offering activity last year,” the commission added.

By comparison, the amount of funds raised via private placements surged 43 percent year-on-year to NT$169 billion after several life insurers raised capital last year.

Overall, all the funds raised by the publicly traded companies totaled NT$742.8 billion, flat from a year earlier, the data showed.

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title: Monty Python star Terry Jones dies at age 77 in London

content_text:
Monty Python’s Flying Circus star Terry Jones, right, carries his dog Nancy as he gestures to Talula, the dog of Python actor Carol Cleveland, outside the Angel pub in Highgate, north London, on Sept. 6, 2012.Photo: Reuters
Monty Python star Terry Jones on Wednesday died at the age of 77 after a long battle with a rare form of dementia, sparking an outpouring of tributes.

“We have all lost a kind, funny, warm, creative and truly loving man whose uncompromising individuality, relentless intellect and extraordinary humor has given pleasure to countless millions across six decades,” his family said in a statement.

They said the Welsh-born writer, actor, comedian and director died late on Tuesday at his home in north London with his wife at his side.

Jones directed some of the comedy troupe’s most-loved works, including the 1979 movie Life of Brian, about a man mistaken for the Son of God, which sparked criticism from the church.

Playing Brian’s mother, Mandy Cohen, he memorably delivered the line: “Now, you listen here! He’s not the Messiah. He’s a very naughty boy!”

Fellow Python Michael Palin, with whom Jones also collaborated on the cult series Ripping Yarns, said his friend was generous, supportive and passionate and believed in living life to the full.

“He was far more than one of the funniest writer-performers of his generation,” Palin said.

Jones appeared as a variety of characters in the BBC television series Monty Python’s Flying Circus, often portraying middle-aged ladies, and also its famous naked organist.

SPAM AND CHAUCER

His second wife, Anna, and children Bill, Sally and Siri said he had fought an “extremely brave but always good-humored battle” with frontotemporal dementia, which impaired his ability to speak.

They called him a “true polymath,” adding: “We lived in the presence of an extraordinarily talented, playful and happy man living a truly authentic life, in his words, ‘lovingly frosted with glucose.’”

Born in North Wales on Feb. 1, 1942, his family moved to Surrey, southwest of London, when he was four.

He developed an interest in medieval history while studying at Oxford University, where he joined forces with Palin.

Jones wrote books and presented medieval television programs throughout his career, and was an expert on the works of Geoffrey Chaucer, the English poet and author of The Canterbury Tales.

His college, St Edmund Hall, said it was “deeply saddened” at his death.

“He studied English here, was an honorary fellow and donated over 700 books to the library,” it said. “He will be sorely missed.”

After Oxford, he starred in television shows like Do Not Adjust Your Set and wrote for David Frost before a meeting in a curry house in 1969 gave birth to Monty Python.

Jones and Palin teamed up with Cambridge graduates Graham Chapman, John Cleese, Eric Idle and US animator Terry Gilliam to discuss working together on a new BBC comedy.

Monty Python’s Flying Circus ran for 45 episodes over four series between 1969 and 1974 and the surreal sketch show broke the boundaries of TV comedy.

Jones’ much-loved characters included Arthur “Two Sheds” Jackson, Cardinal Biggles of the Spanish Inquisition and Mr Creosote, a monstrously obese restaurant patron.

Another of his best-known lines was “Spam, spam, spam, spam, spam, spam, spam,” playing a waitress running through a menu made up entirely of the canned pork meat product.

Jones co-directed Monty Python and the Holy Grail in 1975 with Gilliam, and was sole director on Life of Brian and 1983’s The Meaning of Life.

He also wrote the screenplay for the 1986 fantasy film Labyrinth, starring David Bowie.

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content_text:
Filipina sues Japan firm for keeping her passport

COMMON PRACTICE:The case comes at a time when the government is seeking to attract laborers from outside Japan in hopes of resolving a labor shortage
The Japanese government should forbid employers from retaining the passports of their foreign workers, a lawyer said yesterday after a Filipina sued her former employer for refusing to return her personal documents.

The case comes at a time when the government is seeking to attract laborers from outside Japan in hopes of finding a solution to the country’s severe labor shortage.

A visa scheme introduced last year is projected to draw in 345,000 workers over five years.

“Unfortunately, it’s common practice for companies to take the passports of the foreign workers they employ,” Shoichi Ibusuki, the plaintiff’s lawyer, told reporters. “But to take someone’s passport and then force them to work is forced labor, and should not be allowed under Japanese law.”

The 30-year-old woman, who has kept her name private, last week filed a lawsuit demanding the return of her passport, graduation certificate and other documents that she turned over when she started working at the company, a law office, in May last year.

The woman asked for her passport back when she resigned in July last year, but the company refused to return it, claiming it feared that she would “run away,” said Makoto Iwahashi, a representative from a non-governmental organization that is assisting the woman with legal procedures.

Iwahashi said he believed that the issue is not uncommon, but that the breadth of the problem is difficult to grasp because many cases go unreported, and because of the language barrier and deportation fears.

“I’m standing up also for others to not be afraid and fight for what is right — so I’m standing not only for myself, but for other foreign workers who are in the same situation,” the woman said in a short video clip shown to reporters at the news conference.

AdvanceConsul Certified Administrative Procedures Legal Specialists’ Office, her former employer, declined to comment.

In Japan, it is illegal for companies to confiscate the passports of technical trainees under a special intern program, but there is no law forbidding firms from taking the passports of foreign laborers under other visa schemes.

There is a government guideline advising against the confiscation of passports, but it is not legally binding.

“I believe this guideline should become law, and also include a penalty clause,” Ibusuki said. “We’re hoping that we can use this lawsuit as an opportunity to convince the government to create a law that would ban the confiscation of passports.”

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title: Porte ascends to the lead in the Tour Down Under

content_text:
Australia’s Richie Porte celebrates after winning stage three of the Tour Down Under from Unley to Paracombe in South Australia yesterday.Photo: EPA-EFE
Australian Richie Porte yesterday conquered a brutal uphill finish to claim the third stage and the race leader’s jersey in the Tour Down Under.

Porte, the event’s winner in 2017, made the decisive move for his Trek-Segafredo team in the season’s opening UCI WorldTour event, to power up the torturous hill climb to the Paracombe finish in the fire-ravaged Adelaide Hills and win the stage by a commanding five seconds.

Australia’s Rob Powers (Team Sunweb) just held off Britain’s Simon Yates (Mitchelton-Scott) for second place, with Australia’s Rohan Dennis (Team Ineos) finishing fourth.

South Africa’s Daryl Impey — chasing a third straight Tour Down Under title for Mitchelton-Scott — finished sixth to lie six seconds behind Porte in the general classification with three stages left to Sunday’s finish.

“Hats off to the boys,” Porte said. “They did a really good job in controlling it.”

“I felt good at the bottom of the climb and got a bit of a gap there. It was just a shame there was such a headwind in the final bit, because we could have really done some damage,” he added.

It was a lung-busting surge by Porte up the 1.7km final ascent, leaving his rivals trailing in his wake.

Impey will need to win time bonuses in the remaining stages for a third straight title.

“It was always going to be a challenge getting close to the guys up here, but to finish in that group at the end, I was pretty chuffed,” Impey said.

“I think we’re in a great situation. Obviously we’d like to be in the [leader’s] jersey, but there’s still lots of bonuses to come and lots of opportunities in the race,” he added.

It was a courageous effort by Yates to get on to the stage podium after crashing heavily and injuring his left knee in Wednesday’s second stage and he occupies fourth overall, 11 seconds behind Porte.

“It was alright,” Yates said. “It was a little bit stiff in the morning, but once we got into it, it started getting better and better.”

Dennis, the individual world time trial champion, said his fourth placing was encouraging for the remainder of the race.

“It was a confidence boost ahead of [the] Willunga [final hill stage]. I really had to play mind games with myself and I really had to look after myself before that final climb,” Dennis said.

“I had [teammate] Dylan van Baarle in front protecting me, but Richie kicked on the climb and he was just too good,” he added.

The stage went through the charred Adelaide Hills area, where hundreds of properties were destroyed by raging bushfires last month.

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